Up in the Air
by PresleyRox
Summary: After Helga witnesses her fiancé killing someone she goes to police and discovers just how little she knew about him. He is connected to the biggest crime ring in the East Coast. After giving her statement she learns she must go under police protection and is shocked when she finds out the FBI agent assigned to protect her is her old crush, Arnold Shortman. Rated a strong T
1. Chapter 1

**Up in the Air**

Helga Pataki slumped down in the hard plastic chair she sat on. The room was drab and dimly lit with a wooden table with three chairs total, two on one side of the table and one on the other. She looked at herself in the mirror that spread across the wall she was facing. She had seen enough cop shows throughout the years to make her wonder if there were any cops on the other side watching her. She tunneled her fingers through her blond hair and sighed heavily.

How long had she been in this damn room anyway? She looked at her watch; she had been sitting in the room alone for fifteen minutes now. The cop that had brought her in the room called it an 'interview room' but she knew the proper name for it was more likely an interrogation room. Why did it feel like she was going to be interrogated? She was the one who…

Her eyes closed as the images of what had happened just a couple of hours ago flooded her memory.

_She had been upstairs when the yelling started. She heard Derek raise his voice first, yelling something about the money and then she heard Tom, one of Derek's business associates, yell something back. Helga became concerned after the yelling continued for several minutes and she finally decided to go see what the hell was going on._

_She didn't really mean to 'sneak' downstairs to Derek's office, but that's what happened. She made quiet, unsure footsteps to Derek's office. She had opened the office door just a crack when it happened._

**_BANG!_**

_Helga had jumped back in shock, covering her mouth, muffling the sound of a shriek when she saw Derek pull out a gun and shoot Tom between eyes. Tom hadn't stood a chance, he was dead the instant the bullet hit. _

_She was snapped out of her frozen state when she heard Derek's voice. Slowly, as quietly and carefully as possible she peered back into Derek's office, doing her best not to look at Tom or the blood soaked rug he was laying on._

_Derek was on his cell phone, "Yeah, I had to take care of Jacobs. I need someone to take care of the body before Helga sees anything." There was a long pause. "No. Not there, the place has been crawling with cops lately. Dump him in the lake off do Riverside." There was another pause. "Be here in five minutes. I don't want Helga to know anything about this." Another short pause. "Good." _

_Helga watched Derek as he looked down at Tom's body before stepping over the deceased man and poured himself a drink. She gave him one last look before making her way back upstairs, not knowing what Derek would do if he saw her._

_It had been a good decision, Helga decided, because just a few minutes later Derek appeared in their bedroom indirectly asking her if she heard anything. She lied, of course, gesturing to the book she was holding. She knew Derek knew she tended to ignore the rest of the world when she read. He proceeded to tell her he had some business to attend to in New York City and he'd back a couple of days. She faked a few passionate kisses and told him she would miss him as he packed a bag._

_She waited a full twenty minutes after Derek left before she packed her own bag and drove to the police station._

Helga talked to three different cops since she arrive at the police station over an hour ago, recounting the events with each conversation. The third cop had led her into the so called interview room, asking her to wait there, because a forth officer wanted to talk to her. She looked down at her left hand where her engagement ring still sat. She loved that ring. It was the biggest engagement ring Helga had ever seen in real life, not that diamond size really matter to her, but the ring was beautiful and she was so in love with the man who gave it to her.

She chewed on her bottom lip; she never would have imagined Derek actually murdering someone. She thought back to the phone conversation she had overhead and had the sinking realization that Derek had probably killed before. They were in the middle of planning their wedding; Helga had picked out her wedding dress just last week. But now…Now she felt sick at the thought she had slept with this man and worst of all that she was in love with a murderer.

* * *

"You better not be shitting us about this." Arnold Shortman stated as he walked into the room next to interrogation room one. He had been trying to nail Derek Malloy since the day he joined the FBI three years earlier. This was the first real hard evidence they had on him. There was a witness. Malloy's fiancé witnessed him committing murder. He just prayed that the woman was credible.

"Here's the witness's statement." Officer Cruller said holding out a file.

Arnold snatched the file from Cruller's hands and immediately began reading the signed statement.

Arnold's partner, Edgar Allen looked at the blonde woman on the other side of the two-way mirror, "Pretty girl." He commented. There had been rumors that Derek had been engaged, but Malloy seemed to be purposely keeping her out of the public eye.

Arnold looked up, curious to see what his partner considered pretty. "Oh my God." Arnold stepped closer to the two-way mirror. "I know her!" He was shocked to see that it was Helga G. Pataki, as beautiful as ever, on the other side of the mirror. "I went school with from preschool till high school graduation." He scanned the rest of the statement. "Let's go talk to her." He handed the file back to Cruller and exited the room.

* * *

Helga sighed heavily, eying the mirror in front of her, waiting for someone to come in so she can give her statement _again_ and get the hell out of there. She turned to look over her shoulder when she heard the door _finally_ open. "Criminy! It's about time." She mumbled, clearly annoyed they kept her waiting so long. She looked back into the mirror, "Can we please get on with this. I'm getting really sick of repeating myself."

Two men had walked in taking a seat in the chairs on the opposite side of the table from the Helga and she finally took a good look at them. The first was a pudgy man with dark brown hair and looked to be somewhere in his forties. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the other. Was she seeing this right? The man was her age, blonde, and as handsome as ever. "Arnold?" She hadn't seen him since the night they graduated high school.

"State your name." Arnold's green eyes locked with Helga's blue ones.

She sighed, "You know my name Arnold."

"State your name." He repeated. He tapped a pen against the wooden table.

"Helga Pataki." She offered.

"State your full name." Arnold clarified, still not breaking eye contact.

"Helga G. Pataki." She took it upon herself to break eye contact and look down at the hands, her engagement ring sparkling despite being in the dim space.

"Your _full_ name Helga." Arnold demanded.

"Helga Geraldine Pataki." She let out annoyed sigh, "Are you satisfied now?" She grumbled.

"Very. I was always curious about what the G stood for." Arnold's serious expression cracked a small smile, but then quickly returned to its original serious stance. "Now I need to you tell me exactly what happened." Once again his eyes locked with hers.

"I've already made three statements to three different cops. The second one had me write and sign a statement. I know you can read Arnoldo, you know what happened." Helga folded her arms as she glared at Arnold and other man. "Who is this guy?"

"We aren't in high school anymore Helga." Arnold spoke up. "I'm a FBI agent. You can't talk to me like that. This is Edgar Allen; he's been my partner since I joined the force."

"Wait…You're FBI?" Helga unfolded her arms and sat up straight. "Why does the FBI want to talk to me?" She looked over at Edgar, who hadn't spoken a word since entering the room. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I read the reports, but I need to hear what happened directly from you." Arnold explained, "This will go a lot easier if you just cooperate with us."

Helga sighed, "Fine…I was upstairs when I heard Derek and Tom start to argue. They were shouting. I've never really heard Derek raise his voice to anyone before so I went to see what was going on. I had just opened Derek's office door when I saw him pull out the gun." She paused; her voice slowly beginning to waiver. "Derek killed him. He shot him point blank without a second thought." She swallowed a dry lump in her throat. "I was just so shocked…I was just standing at the door, frozen. I heard Derek on the phone. I don't know who he was talking to, but he told them he had to 'take care' of Jacobs and told them to dump the body in the lake off of Riverside." She ran her fingers through her hair, "He kept tell whoever he was talking to that he didn't want me to know or see anything. He doesn't know I saw anything…I think he's killed before. He said something about not dumping the body somewhere because it has been crawling with cops lately. Anyway, I went back upstairs and a few minutes later Derek came up and told me he was going out of town for a few days. After he left I packed a bag and came here. Now can you please tell me what the hell is going on? Why is the FBI involved in this is?"

"What exactly is your relationship with Derek Malloy?" Arnold asked, ignoring her question.

"He's my fiancé…Or _was_ my fiancé." Her persistent glare at Arnold softened. "Arnold, could you please just tell me what the going on here? Why does it feel like _I'm_ the one who is being interrogated? Criminy, I saw the man I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with murder someone today…I think I deserve some answers."

"We will give you them." Edger finally spoke up as he watched his younger partner shoot the young woman a sympathetic look. "We just have a few more questions we need answered first." He looked over at Arnold, "Shall I? Or would you like the honors Shortman?"

"How did you and Malloy meet?" Arnold asked after scribbling down a few notes in his notebook.

Helga released another annoyed sigh, frustrated she wasn't getting any answers. "We met half way through my senior year at MIT."

"You went to MIT?" Arnold asked in surprise." I didn't know that."

"Well I didn't know you are an FBI agent either, so get over it." Helga snapped, she eyed Edgar when he let out an amused chuckle. "MIT has one of the best writing programs in the country." She explained before continuing, "Anyway, I was bartending and he was there with some of his friends and there was there was some creep who kept hitting on me all night. After my shift the creep tried to follow me to my car, but Derek saw and stopped him before he could try anything. We started talking and ended up hitting it off." She looked at Arnold, "What else do you want to know? I want answers."

"We just have a couple more…" Arnold cleared his throat. "What do you know about what Derek does for a living?"

"He took over the family business. Real-estate. He is quite successful." She watched Arnold and Edgar exchange looks, "He doesn't talk to me much about work. He always told me he wanted to leave work at work. When he was home he didn't want to think about work." She scratched her arm nervously. "What else?"

"Just one more." Arnold's voice had softened slightly from the stern tone he had been using, "Was he ever violent with you?"

"No." Helga answered quickly. "I mean…I guess he slapped me a few times, but I probably deserved it." She spoke directly to Arnold, "I'm you remember how much I can run my mouth. It was never more than a slap and he was always really sorry afterwards." She sighed, "Honestly, it didn't happen that often. We've been together for three years and I count the times on one hand, so you don't need to look at me like that." She looked at both men, "Now can you please just tell me what is going on?" She begged, "If you really are FBI this isn't just about a murder, is it?"

"I've been on Derek Malloy's case since I joined the FBI. He isn't in real-estate Helga. It's just a front to his real dealings. He has connections with the biggest crime ring on the East Coast. We aren't sure how big his involvement is, but we do know he is involved. We know he has supplied weapons and safe havens for some very dangerous criminals. You were right, we are pretty sure he has killed before."

Helga's jaw dropped open and she physically paled, "He…He's a criminal?" She asked quietly. "I swear. I had no idea that he was involved in all this. I never would have…" Her hand covered her mouth. "Oh God…This _cannot_ be happening."

"Shortman, get her some water would ya?" Edgar more demanded than asked.

Arnold gave a sharp nod before getting up from his seat and disappearing from the room only for a few moments before returning with a paper cup fill with water. "Here." He said softly as he handed her the cup.

"Thanks." Helga whispered after she gulped half the water down.

"Do you have any family or friends that you think could be in danger because of all this?" Edgar spoke up.

Helga shook her head. "I don't have a relationship with my parents or sister. I have barely spoken to any of them since I graduated high school." She paused, "My friends are his friends. I didn't have that many friends in high school and college and the ones I did…Well we drifted a part in the past few years."

"Are you sure about that?" Edgar asked.

"Yes. The last couple of times I talked to my so called parents the phone calls ended in disaster and Derek was there for it."

"What happened?" It was Arnold who asked this time.

"Why does it matter?" Helga asked, drinking the rest of the water. When Arnold and Edgar didn't answer she continued, "I've never had much of a relationship, not a good one anyway, with any member of my family. Bob and Mariam promised me they were going to come to my graduation. I was top of my class and was selected to read something I wrote during the ceremony. Then Olga got engaged—for the third time I should add— the she had two engagements that fell through before that and they went to see her to celebrate instead. Then when I got engaged I called and told them and they accused me of trying to rub my happiness in Olga's face, because she and Mick just called off their wedding. Well Mick called off their wedding. I haven't spoken to any of them since. I'm sure in Derek's eyes he'd be doing me a favor if he offed my parents."

"We think you could be in danger." Arnold told Helga point blank. "Malloy is a very dangerous man and he won't go down without fight. We are offering you police protection."

"You are offering me it? So that means I can reject it, right?" Helga asked.

Arnold paused, "Yes, but I strongly recommend you don't. You are a key witness to a major crime and your life could be in danger. Without you we really don't have a case and your life could be in danger." He emphasized the fact once again, "Please don't reject police protection Helga."

"Sorry Football Head, but I'm rejecting it. I am right now anyway. Derek does not know I saw anything or went to the police." Helga argued. She didn't say it, because she knew what Arnold's reaction would be, but she knew despite everything, Derek loved her and wouldn't kill her. She could feel it in her bones, Derek would not harm her.

"Miss Pataki I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation…" Edgar tried to argue.

"I do. Believe me, I do." Helga brushed loose strands of hair behind her ear, "But I don't want any protection at this moment in time."

"What are you going to do? Where are you going to go?" Edgar asked.

"I'm going to check into a hotel and relax. I'll figure out the rest tomorrow. When are you going to arrest him?"

"We have a few men in blue after him right now. He should be in custody within a couple of hours." Arnold to her as he closed his notepad.

"Okay. Good. Are we done here?"

Arnold nodded, "There is just some paper work you need to sign." He fished out a card from his suit pocket. "If you need anything, think of any new information, or changed your mind about police protection don't hesitate to call."

Helga took the card, "Thank you." She put the card in her pants pocket and stood up, "Can I go now?"

"We'll walk you out." Arnold took some fast strides to the door, opening it for Helga. "After you…" He stepped aside.

Edgar and Arnold watched Helga for across the room as she signed the paperwork she needed to sign before she could leave the police station, "Are you really letting her just leave?" Edgar asked, "You and I both know she needs police protection."

"I do know that." Arnold told him, "But I also know Helga. She is stubborn as hell and won't admit she needs help until it's too late."

Edgar raised an eyebrow, "So what's the plan?"

"We are going to track her. We will follow her to protect her. I'll be damned if I let Malloy or any of the scum he works with hurt that woman. Come on, let's go to our car. We can't let her know we are following her."

* * *

So I didn't really intend to start writing this...It just kind of happened. I got the idea and my muse just kind ran with it. I've been having more free time lately so don't worry, I plan to update this, A Twist of Fate, and Reunion more often. As always, if you enjoyed please review.

One more thing, I *might* be changing my username. I made this when was Grey's Anatomy fan and I have not watched nor like the show for a couple of years now, so if you see this or any of my stories under a different username that is why.

Anyway, again, if you enjoyed please follow, favorite, and review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Up in the Air Part Two**

Helga took a deep breath as she got into her car. It had been an incredibly long afternoon and she was exhausted. Her entire life had been turned outside down in just a few short hours. She looked down at her cell phone that she had forgotten on the passenger seat of her car before she had gone into the police station. She grabbed the phone and checked to see if she had any missed calls or text messages. She had one.

_Derek Malloy _

_1 New attachment _

_Hey sexy I think I found the perfect venue for our wedding. I think you'll love it. It's a bed and breakfast outside NY. Check it out. _

Underneath the message was a picture of the property. It was gorgeous. There were large willow trees in the front of the building and there were bushing with huge pink flowers on them. She sighed, the place was beautiful and it would have been absolutely perfect.

Turning her car on she tried to ignore the pain of the whole situation slowly bubbling to the surface. She knew the heart break of everything hadn't fully sunken in yet. She just hoped when it really hit her she'd be in the privacy in a hotel room.

As Helga drove she turned up the car's radio, hoping it would help distract her from her own thoughts. She really had no idea what she was going to do. She figured she'd spend a few days in a hotel to figure things out. She was thankful that she and Derek had not completely combined finances. She still had her own bank account in just her name. At least she had _something_ to start a new life, because the last thing she wanted to do was crawl back to Bob and Mariam. She rolled her eyes; she could just imagine what they would have to say about this whole situation. They had been shocked that someone of Derek's caliber had been interested her in the first place. She knew they had supported Olga after her three failed engagements, but Helga wasn't Olga. She knew Bob and Mariam wouldn't support her the way they did Olga.

Feeling her stomach grumble Helga decided to stop for takeout at her favorite diner that was near a batch of hotels. She pulled into a parking spot in front of the diner and made her way inside.

* * *

"So how long did you two date?" Edgar asked from the passenger seat. Since he was curious about Helga Pataki he had his phone out, seeing if he could find anything about her on the web.

"Me and who?" Arnold asked, his eyes not leaving the road and Helga's car. He was keeping his distance leaving a car or two in between them at all times. He didn't want Helga to know they were tracking her quite yet. "Wait…Me and Helga?" He took his eyes off the road for a moment to look over at his partner. "Helga and I never dated. We barley even got along. Why would you think that?"

Edgar shrugged, "I don't know. It just felt like you two had some kind of history. There was some kind of…" He paused, "Tension between you two." He looked down at his phone, "She was a model as a kid?" He asked when he came across pictures of Helga when she was the 'It Girl'.

Arnold chuckled, "Yeah. We were nine and this model agency was doing at talent search. Helga didn't even try out; actually she was making fun of them." A smile tugged on the corners of his lips. "Apparently they really liked the attitude and scowl."

"When's the last time you saw her?" Edgar asked as he slid his phone back into his pocket.

"It was the night we graduated high school." Arnold started to explain, "She left the next morning. She didn't even tell anyone she was leaving, I guess her parents knew, but none of her friends knew. From what I hear she hasn't been back to Hillwood since the day she left." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't know why I was surprised. Everyone knew she couldn't way to get away. I don't really think she wanted to get away from Hillwood itself, just her parents."

"What's the deal with her folks anyway?" Edgar asked curiously, "It's sad they didn't go to her graduation."

Arnold sighed, "I don't really know what there deal was. They were wonderful parents to Helga's sister Olga, but I think everyone saw that they treated Helga differently. Why they did, I have no idea. Helga was the _biggest_ in the ass growing up, but I guess it's kinda understandable…I didn't figure it out until high school but her mom is an alcoholic. I rarely saw her, but when I did she was always pretty out of it. Her dad, Bob, is…" He paused trying to think of the right word to describe Big Bob Pataki, "An asshole. He is a total asshole. He-" Arnold cut himself off when he saw Helga turn into the parking lot _Hank's_, which happened to be one of his favorite places to eat. "Shit." He cursed as he quickly switched lanes and pulled in the parking lot after her. "She must have decided to get something to eat before going to the hotel."

Edgar and Arnold were thankful that most of the diner's front was windows; they could easily watch Helga from the car as she ordered and waited for her food.

* * *

After ordering Helga decided to use the restroom. She had ten minutes before her order would be ready so she took her time. While washing her hands Helga stared at her reflection for several long moments. It was then she realized she barely recognized herself. Her hair and makeup were flawless and her clothes all had a designer labels on them. During her teenaged years up and up until she met Derek she never wore make up and she didn't give a crap about designer labels. Except for those Nancy Spumoni boots. She couldn't describe how much she wanted those and it was one of the only times Mariam hadn't let her down. Bob had been beyond pissed when Helga claimed she lost them. Other than those boots she had bought most of her clothes from thrift and second hand stores. She had a rather bohemian or relaxed casual look up until Derek. She also used to have a large collection of classic band tee-shirts. She really missed those tee-shirts.

The realization of how much she changed for Derek was totally bizarre for Helga. Maybe it was because it had happened so slowly she never realized it was happening. But it did happen. She just didn't know how it happened. She had never changed who she was for anyone before.

Sighing, she set her oversized purse onto the bathroom counter and dug out her makeup bag. From the makeup bag she pulled out makeup remover wipes and began to remove the makeup from her face. After removing all her makeup she threw the wipe away and looked back into the mirror, happy that the makeup was gone.

* * *

Arnold and Edgar sat in silence as they waited for Helga to exit the diner. Edgar was on his phone texting his wife while Arnold watched Helga return from the bathroom and wait for her food at the front counter. It was weird seeing her again. It had been seven years since they graduated high school and while he had attended to the five year reunion Helga did not.

It was weird seeing her again, especially under the circumstances they were under. He just hoped he was wrong about Derek going after her. He couldn't bear the thought of Helga getting hurt. Even though she had made her life miserable from ages three to eighteen he still didn't want anything to happen to her. His stomach had still been twisting at the fact that Helga admitted Derek had hit her on a few different occasions. Though it was the fact that she seemed to justify why Derek had it her that bothered him the most.

_'…I probably deserved it. I'm sure you remember how much I can run my mouth.'_

It made him feel physically ill that strong willed Helga would not only put up with being hit, but justify it as well. What in the hell happened to her in the past seven years?

"She's coming out." Edgar snapped Arnold out of his thoughts, "How do you suppose we track her after she checks into a hotel?"

"We'll figure it out once she checks into one. We can probably just wave our badges to hotel management. I'm sure hotel security will cooperate once they find out we're FBI." Arnold stated as he watched Helga walk to her car.

* * *

Helga slid into the driver's seat and put her purse and Styrofoam takeout container on the passenger seat. She sighed when her cell phone dropped to the car's floor from out of her purse. She was going to ignore it until she heard the phone beep, signaling her that she had a new text message. She sighed again before she bent down to pick it up.

The moment she did the sound of gun shots and glass shattering filled Helga's ears. She screamed as instinct kicked in and she lay as flat as she could along the driver and passenger seat of her car as the gun fire continued. Her arms covered her head as the windows of her car were being blasted out from the bullets.

A few moments later the gun fire stopped, but Helga didn't move her position across the driver and passenger seats. She was shaking uncontrollably and her breathing was heavy and erratic. She screamed again and shut her eyes tightly when she heard the passenger door open, preparing for the worst.

"Helga!" Arnold placed a hand on her arm, "It's me. It's Arnold."

"Arnold?" Slowly, Helga opened her eyes, to see a very concerned looking Arnold staring down at her. "Oh my God…" She swallowed the dry lump in her throat as she blinked away tears. She was about get up, but Arnold stopped her.

"Don't move. I'll help you up. There is glass everywhere, including on you…I don't want you to get cut." Arnold told her as he reached out, "Grab my arms." Helga obeyed, as she grabbed a hold of his arms he took a hold of her by placing his hands a few inches below her arm pits and pulled her out the car; sweeping bits of glass off her back as she stood. "Are you okay?" He asked as she leaned against him to help steady herself from her shaky legs.

Helga pushed him away, "Of course I'm not okay! Someone just tried to kill me."

"You would have been if you hadn't ducked…Why did you duck in the first place?"

"My phone fell and I got a text message so I bent over to see what it said." Shakily, she turned at receive her phone for the car's floor. She blinked down at the message.

_Derek Malloy_

_Miss you already sexy_

"Derek…He knows I went to the cops. Doesn't he?" She asked as she showed Arnold the message. "This is some sick, twisted way to…Criminy I don't even know. But he organized this, didn't he?"

For a moment he said nothing. "Helga…You're bleeding." Arnold stared at the top of Helga's shoulder, a streak of blood staining her shirt. "Were you shot?"

Helga touched her shoulder and winced, "I don't know. It didn't really hurt until you pointed it out." She paled. "I feel sick."

"You're in shock." He explained, "There is an ambulance on the way." Just as Arnold told her that several sirens were heard in the near proximity. He looked around and noticed several civilians had gathered around to see if they could figure out what was going. Arnold rolled his eyes; he didn't think he would ever know why people would flock to a place that just had a damn shooting. It always amazed him how dumb some people were, though it was probably a good thing there was a crowd because it was less likely someone coming and trying again.

After the ambulance and three police cars arrive at the diner the crowd thinned out pretty quick. Arnold wanted Helga out of there as soon as possible, before the press showed up. The last think Helga needed was public exposer. Then there was her wound. He wasn't sure if she had actually been shot or if some of the glass from her car windows had hit her, either way he wanted to get the hospital quickly, so he would know for sure she was going to be okay.

* * *

Arnold was relieved to find out Helga's shoulder had just been grazed by a bullet. She was going to be fine; she just needed a few stiches.

"How is she doing?" Edgar asked as he walked up to his partner. They had been separated after the gun fire started. Arnold went to Helga and Edgar tried to find the shooter or shooters, unfortunately he came up cold. Everything had happened so fast and he was unable to determine where the shots were coming from until the culprit was long gone.

"She is going to be fine." Arnold told him, "A bullet grazed her shoulder, so she'll need some stiches, but it could have been a lot worse."

Edgar nodded, "Do you think she'll agree to police protection now?"

Arnold nodded, "She got a text from Malloy just before the shooting. It said I miss you already sexy. He found out she went to the police somehow. It defiantly scared her. She knows her life is in actual danger now."

"Shortman, Allen." Simon Walters, Arnold and Edgar's boss, made several quick strides towards the two men. They were currently in the hospital waiting room as they were waiting for Helga to get stiches. "Please tell me the witness is still alive."

"She is sir." Arnold spoke up, "Her shoulder was grazed by a bullet, but she is going to be just fine."

"Good. Shortman, I arranged an apartment for the two of you in Chicago. You will be watching over her until the trail is over. After the trial we will determine if the witness needs to go into witness protection."

"Wait…Me sir?" Arnold asked. "Isn't there anyone else?" He paused, "And her name is Helga Pataki."

Simon locked eyes with Arnold, "Of course there is, but I want _you_ to do it. Unless you want to spend the rest of you career behind a desk don't argue with me Shortman."

Arnold sighed and nodded weakly, "Yes, sir."

"I don't have to tell you how important it is for the witness to stay alive. We've been trying to build a case against Malloy family for almost a decade. We need this witness." Simon needlessly explained, "Derek Malloy is officially in police custody and we have a search warrant for his house and office. Start packing your bags Shortman you and the witness leave for Chicago in the morning. I will send you the details." Without another word Simon left the two men.

"That man is such a jack ass." Edgar mumbled, "I have the suitcase Helga had in her trunk. I'm sure she'll want that for the little trip you two are taking together."

Arnold groaned, "Do you want to tell her that she and I will be living in an apartment together in Chicago or shall I? She is going to be pissed. She can't stand me."

"I don't know her so I don't know if that is true, but considering the circumstances she'll probably be relieved that she under the protection…That she'll being living with someone she knows. It will make her a lot more comfortable than if she was going to be with a complete stranger."

"She is going to drive me crazy."

"You haven't seen the girl for what, seven years?" Edgar asked and Arnold nodded, "Then you don't know that. People change Arnold. From what you told me about her parents it probably did her some good after she moved away from them. Even if she is a pain in the ass, just remember she has been through a hell of a lot in the past six hours. Her whole world was turned upside down. She has a right to be a pain."

Arnold sighed, "You're right. She probably isn't the same pain in the ass I knew growing up." He ran a hand through his hair, "I just don't why Walters wants me to do this. He even said there are other agents…" He whined.

"Suck it up Shortman. Putting your feelings aside is part of the job." A wide smirk appeared on Edgar's lips, "Just make sure you don't sleep with her. _That_ is not part of the job."

Arnold rolled his eyes, "You don't need to worry about that. Helga and I can barely stand each other."

"Mr. Shortman?" A female's voice interrupted the two men. Arnold nodded, "Miss Pataki will be right out. She only needed six stiches and there should be very little scarring."

"That's great." Arnold forced a small smile, dreading to tell Helga that not only he was going to be the agent protecting her but that they would be living in an apartment together. He had the feeling she was not going to be taking the news very well. He looked to his right and saw Helga slowly making her way towards them, "How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Exhausted. Can I go now?"

Arnold nodded, "You'll be coming with me…Umm…My boss arranged an apartment for us in Chicago. You will be under my protection until the trail is over." He paused for a short moment, "Then after the trial we will have to talk about if it is necessary for to be put into a permanent witness protection program."

Arnold watched as Helga's jaw dropped in surprise and he prepared himself, expecting her to start arguing with him. But she didn't, "Can we go now? I want to get the hell out of here. I hate hospitals."

Arnold nodded, "You can stay at my apartment tonight. We are leaving for Chicago in the morning." He told her quietly.

* * *

Twenty minutes later they were in Arnold's apartment. "You have a nice place." Helga commented as she walked through the living room.

"Thanks, but I'm sure it's not as nice as the mansion you were living in with Malloy." He immediately regretted saying it when he saw her wince. "Sorry." He apologized. He placed Helga's suitcase next to the couch. "I shouldn't have said that."

"He's in custody now?" She asked as she took a seat on Arnold's couch.

Arnold nodded, "He was arrested about an hour ago."

"Oh." She paused, "Is it okay if I take a shower?"

Arnold quickly nodded again, "Of course." He walked towards his bedroom, "Since you don't have many clothes with you, you can wear some of mien tonight." He disappeared for a few brief moments before coming back with a part of cotton shorts with drawstring so she could tighten them to fit her waist a little bit better and a black tee-shirt that said _Pearl Jam_ in white lettering across the chest. That made her smile a little bit because it reminded of her old band tee-shirts she wore all the time in high school.

"Thanks." She took the clothes from Arnold. "Where's the bathroom?" She asked.

"Oh, sorry." He opened a door across the hall from his bedroom. There is shampoo and conditioner in the shower. Take all the time you need. I'll be in my room packing if you need anything." Helga just nodded and made her way into the bathroom. "And Helga…" She stopped in her tracks and looked over at him, "Be careful with your stiches, okay?" Helga just nodded before disappearing into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Arnold entered his bedroom and grabbed a large suitcase out his closet and began to mentally list all the things he would need. He sighed heavily, praying the trail date would come up fast he just didn't know how long he could stand watching over Helga Pataki.

* * *

A

**Author's Note:** Hope you all enjoyed the update. I know things are moving along like really fast, but the real story begins with Arnold protecting Helga and I just wanted to get them there. I hope everyone feels like an adult version of their character. I know Helga is a bit…I don't know, submissive, right now, but the girl has been through a lot in the past few hours. She needs time to wrap her head around all that's happened.

I have decided I'm going to change me user name for sure, but I have NO idea to what. Any suggestions? Lol Again, when you see my stories under another name that is why.

Anyway, as always if you enjoyed reading this chapter follow and favor if you haven't yet and please review. Everyone's reviews always mean so much to me and it just motivates me to write. Thank you all for your kind words!


	3. Chapter 3

**Up in the Air Part Three**

Helga decided to take a longer shower than she normally would have, hoping a long hot shower would help relax her just a little bit. Somehow she knew being able to relax that night was simply going to be impossible.

She never would have imagined that her day would have ended with her in Arnold Shortman's shower, but there she was, using Arnold's shampoo. Of course, she never would have imagined her fiancé killing anyone or trying to have her killed. She didn't know how she could have been so wrong. She really couldn't wait until this day was finally over.

Helga wondered how long Arnold had been living in Boston. She had been living there for almost three years now. Shortly after her college graduation Derek asked her to move in with him in his newly built home in Boston. After some persuasion she agreed. She really had no idea she was going to move in to some kind of mini mansion that even Princess Rhonda Wellington Lloyd would be envious of.

Derek knew her dreams of writing a book and fully supported her. When she started to search for a job he suggested that she take some time off to write, he told her he made more than enough money for the both of them. She really didn't like the idea of someone completely supporting her, so they compromised and she worked as a freelance writer. It was mostly a verity of magazines that would hire her to write an article or something along those lines. Since graduating she published her own book of poetry and had just finished writing her first novel. She was currently rereading it and making minor changes here and there before she would try to get it published.

She sighed heavily before she turned the shower off, realizing Arnold forgot to tell her where the clean towels were. She started to open the cupboards on the opposite wall of the bathroom sink in search of the towels while silently praying she wouldn't find anything awkward. Luckily she didn't and she found the towels in the second cupboard she opened. She quickly dried herself off and pulled the Pearl Jam shirt Arnold lent her over her head and realized she forgot her underwear. She sighed again, hoping Arnold wouldn't mind her going commando in his shorts.

As Helga exited the bathroom she could hear Arnold talking on his cellphone in his bedroom. She stood in the hall outside of his bedroom door for a moment listening to Arnold's side of the conversation. She brushed some wet hair behind her ear ignoring the fact she had been snooping more than usual that day.

Arnold let out a frustrated, "I don't know how many times I have to tell you this…I _really_ don't think Malloy's fiancé knows anything about his illegal activity." There was a pause, "Because I questioned her after she saw Malloy kill Jacobs. If she came to us about that why wouldn't she tell us everything she knows?"

Helga leaned against wall outside of Arnold's bedroom as she continued to eavesdrop on Arnold's phone conversation. Though she was a little annoyed Arnold referred to her as 'Malloy's fiancé' she was glad he didn't think she knew anything of Derek's criminal activity, because she didn't.

"I'm not going to talk to you about this anymore. Did Malloy say anything yet?" There was a moment of silence, "What did he say about Helga's shooting?" There was another pause followed by a groan, "I wish I was there. Instead I'm stuck babysitting for God knows how long."

Helga frowned, okay, that kind of hurt. She knew this situation wasn't ideal for Arnold, because it sure hell wasn't for her, but to hear him actually vocalize his displeasure stung a bit. Deciding she heard enough she made her way to the living room. "Owe! Criminy!" She cursed as she stubbed her toe on one of the legs of the couch.

"Helga?! Are you okay?" Arnold rushed out of his bedroom into the living room and kitchen area, his gun already drawn.

"I'm fine Football Head. I just stubbed my damn toe on your stupid couch." Helga eyed the gun, "Put that thing away, won't ya?" She plopped herself down on the couch and began to rub her sore toe. "This day sucks!"

Arnold sighed, putting his gun back in its holster. "You can't do that." Helga looked up at him confused and before she could ask him what she couldn't do he continued, "You stubbed your toe, you didn't need to yell out like that. You _can't_ yell out like that for just any reason anymore. Not when someone wants you dead." He took a seat on the couch next to her, "I don't want to have a heart attack every time you stub a toe or break a nail or something."

Helga didn't have the energy argue, so she just decided to agree, even though the quip about a broken nail really pissed her off. "Fine I won't scream unless I'm being murdered."

Arnold blinked; slightly concerned Helga was being so cooperative. Had Edgar been right when he said Helga might have changed? Sure, he hadn't expected her to be the same exact person she was growing up, but he still expected her to be Helga and Helga he knew argued. "Are you hungry?" He asked, "I should have a couple of pizzas in the freezer."

"Yeah, I should probably eat." She and Derek had gone out for brunch that morning, so the last time she had ate was around ten. Though she was exhausted she also wanted to eat before she went to bed. "Pizza sounds great."

Arnold nodded, "I'll go throw one the oven. You can turn on the TV if you'd like." He handed he the remote before standing up and making in way to the kitchen. "You still like pepperoni, right? Do you want sometime to drink?"

"Yup." Helga replied, turning on the TV and began flipping through channels. "I'll just have a glass of water." She stopped flipping through channels, settling on an old episode of The Simpsons.

Arnold handed her a bottle of water after putting the pizza in the oven, "The water is here is kind of gross, so I buy bottles." He sat back down next to her.

"Thanks." She twisted open the cap and took a drink, "So…How long have you been in Boston?" She asked after several minutes of awkward silence.

"About two and a half years. I was transferred out here after I joined the FBI. How about you? When did you move out here?"

"Three years. After I graduated Derek asked me to move in with him. It took a little convincing, but I did." She looked down at the engagement ring she had yet to take off. "I wish I never agreed." She swallowed nervously, "How long have you been…" She paused trying to think of the right word to use, "tracking Derek for?"

"I've been assigned to his case since day one. We've probably had enough evidence to make an arrest for a while now, but it was all pretty circumstantial. We wanted enough to make the arrest and keep him in jail."

"How long do you think we'll be in Chicago for?"

Arnold shrugged, "It might be awhile. It just depends on how fast we can make a case against him. Don't worry though, he will go to trial. Then you will testify and after that you will hopefully be able to return to your normal everyday life."

Helga tunneled her fingers through the wet strands of her hair. "Yeah, hopefully…I just wish I knew what my normal everyday life will be now." She looked down at her hand, her engagement ring still on her ring finger. Not being able to stand looking at it Helga pulled the ring off, "Here, you can turn this into evidence or something. Who knows where he got the money to pay for it." She handed Arnold the ring, refusing to look at it any longer. "So...What else have you been up to since high school? You know I've been shaking up with a criminal, what about you? Are you seeing anyone?"

"No." Arnold quickly shook his head, "With my line of work it can be difficult to maintain a relationship, you know I work long and crazy hours, the women I've dated just get sick of that after a while. I've dated a little bit in the past three years, but nothing serious. Really since high school I went to college and I've just been working a lot ever since."

Helga nodded, "Have you been back to Hillwood lately?"

"I was there about six months for Eugene and Sheena's wedding, but I don't go there much anymore. I don't have much of a need since my grandparents both passed."

"I'm really sorry about that by the way." Helga told him, "I didn't hear about either of them passing until a year ago. I haven't been in contact with anyone in Hillwood since I left and I really didn't know how to get a hold of you. I don't know if you are on Facebook, but I refuse to go on it."

Arnold gave her a weak smile, "It's alright; I knew they wouldn't live forever. I'm just glad they both went peacefully." The buzzer on the oven went off signaling the pizza was done, "That's the pizza." He stood up and Helga followed him into the kitchen to eat.

After eating two slices each Helga decided was ready for bed, "Do you have an extra toothbrush?" Helga asked after yawning.

"Yeah, there I have a couple extra in the bathroom." Arnold led her to the bathroom and dug out a new toothbrush from one of the drawers under the sink. "Here." He handed her the toothbrush before grabbing his own. After squirting some toothpaste on the brush he handed to Helga and they brushed their teeth in silence.

"Can you grab me a pillow and a blanket for me for the couch?" Helga asked as the pair rinsed off their toothbrushes.

"No." Helga raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Sorry, I mean you should take the bed." Arnold quickly told her, "I'll take the couch."

"Arnold, no…You've done enough for me today. I can take the couch."

"Just take the damn bed Helga, I don't feel like arguing about this." Arnold snapped at her.

Helga bit down on her lip for a moment, "Okay."

Arnold sighed heavily, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just…It's just been a really long day, a long week actually. That's not your fault and I shouldn't take it out on you." He explained as they walked into his bedroom.

"It's okay." Helga tried to assure him with a weak smile, "It's been a long day for me too. If I wasn't so exhausted and still in shock about all of this, I'd probably be snapping at you too."

Arnold went to the closet and grabbed out a couple of blankets from the top shelf. "Still, I shouldn't have snapped at you. You have been really corruptive with this whole thing…I'm sorry." He apologized again as he grabbed his favorite pillow from the bed. "Do you want me to get the lights on my way out?"

Helga nodded as she slid into his bed, "Yeah that would be great. Thanks."

"Goodnight Helga." Arnold told her before he flipped off the lights.

"Goodnight Arnold." She responded as Arnold left the room, leaving the door open just a crack. She turned, facing the wall opposite the door. She was thankful Arnold left the room when he did because her bottom lip began to tremble as the shock of the day slowly began to ware down. Everything she thought she had was completely turned upside down, her future was now up in the air. She had no idea what she was going to do once the trial was over. She didn't know what life she had to return to once it was all over, if would even be able to live life as Helga Geraldine Pataki anymore.

Derek was a criminal. A murderer. He tried to have her killed. She was so in love with him and she had no idea what kind of life he was living. The future she once envisioned with him was gone in a blink of an eye, or a single gunshot.

She curled herself into the fetal position in Arnold's bed, pulling the blankets tightly around her and burying her face into his pillow as she began to cry. Her body shook as her sobs were muffled by Arnold's pillow. Though she didn't realize it, as she cried herself to sleep, the scent of Arnold that completely surrounded her gave her comfort.

* * *

As always, if you enjoyed please review.


	4. Chapter 4

**Up in the Air Part Four**

It took Helga a long moment or two to remember where she was. She yawned and stretched her limbs across the bed as she rubbed her eyes. She sighed, realizing the previous day wasn't a horrible nightmare. She looked to her right, where Arnold kept his alarm clock. 6:30. Helga was up earlier than normal, but she was thankful she actually slept through the entire night.

She threw the blankets off her and she got out of bed. Helga made Arnold's bed before leaving the room and using the bathroom. She peeked into the living room to see that Arnold was snoring quietly on the couch. Not wanting to disturb his sleep Helga sighed, wondering what she should do until he woke up. Something _other_ than thinking about Derek and the whole stupid situation he put her in.

It was then she noticed the bookshelf at the end of the hall. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, knowing reading would distract her. Standing directly in front of the book case Helga scanned the couple dozen books Arnold had. One in particular made her stop. Her jaw dropped. She had recognized the book's spine immediately, though the pink book did stick out like a sore thumb, she knew the book spine. After all, she was the one who designed it. She removed the book from its spot on the shelf, inspecting it as if she was seeing it wrong.

_The Pink Book of Poetry _

_By: Helga G Pataki _

He had her book. Arnold actually had her book. Panic suddenly swept through her. Some of the poems in there had been inspired by Arnold. _Oh God…_Helga swallowed nervously. Did he figure out some of the poems were about him? Sure some had been inspired by Derek, and a few others were about her college boyfriend, Max, the man she lost her virginity to, but some were all Arnold.

While designing the book cover she had convinced her publisher into adding a small feature to the book. There was a built in book mark that was made out of a pink ribbon. Curiously, she opened the book to see what page was book marked. Her stomach imminently twisted into butterflies when she saw which poem it was. _Rain_. It was her favorite poem in the entire collection of poetry in the book and it had been one hundred present about Arnold. Her finger ran along the pink ribbon, which someone had tied into a bow. _Holy shit_. She didn't even know what think about that.

"Good morning."

Helga whirled around, dropping the book at her feet. "Shit." She put her hand to her heart, which was beating uncontrollably fast. "Jeez Football Head! Someone tried to kill me yesterday! What are you thinking sneaking up on like that? Criminy!"

Arnold's lips twisted into an amused smile, "Sorry." He apologized, "Didn't think I'd startle you _that_ much. Besides, you are the one who's snooping." He decided to let the 'Football Head' comment slide; he actually kind of missed the nick name over the years.

"I was hardly snooping." Helga snapped back, "Your book shelf is in your hallway. If I were going through your desk drawers or something I'd be snooping." She bent down and picked up the book, her scowl quickly softened, "You have my book." She stated the obvious.

Arnold nodded, "I do have your book." He offered her a genuine smile, "I really enjoyed it. You are very talented Helga. I think _Rain_, _Confessions, _and _Tremors _were my favorites."

She felt her cheeks turn pink. _Rain_ and _Confessions_ were totally about Arnold, but perhaps, even more embarrassing, _Tremors_ had been about losing her virginity. "The ribbon is tied into a bow." Helga stated the obvious once again, "Who…Who did that?"

"I did." Arnold shrugged, "The pink ribbon reminded me of your old bow, so the first time I book marked a page I tied it into a bow."

She smiled as she brushed some stray hairs behind her ear, "I just can't believe you have my book and actually read it. I'm not sure you know how much that means to me. I don't know what to say." She placed the book back into its spot.

"So…Out of curiosity…." Arnold paused, scratching the back of his neck as Helga sucked in a breath; _did he know they were about him?_ "That poem, _Tremors_, is it about Wolfgang?"

Helga let out a sigh of relief before answering. Thank God Arnold was just as dense as ever. _Wait…Why the hell would he think Tremors was about Wolfgang?_ "What? No! Why on earth would you think _that_ was about Wolfgang?"

"Well…" Arnold shifted nervously, "Reading while reading it it seemed like it was about you…" He grunted, "You know…lost your virginity." He finished the last part of his sentence quickly.

Helga's jaw dropped; did he _really_ just say that? "Okay, yes that particular poem was about losing my virginity. But it was so _not_ about Wolfgang. I did not lose my virginity to Wolfgang, I've never even had sex with him!"

"But…But sophomore year he told everyone he, well in his words, popped your cherry. Then you told everyone how had a small…" He trailed off, not finishing his sentence.

"Penis Arnold. You can say the word. I've seen a couple in my lifetime and I assume you have one." Helga sighed, shaking her head. Up until that moment she had completely forgotten about all the drama Wolfgang started when she was just fifteen years old. "Yeah, Wolfgang told everyone he took my virginity, but he didn't. After I found out he was telling everyone that I decided I had two options…Deny it and have half the student body not believe me, or I could beat Wolfgang at his own game and just go with it and tell everyone he had a small penis." Her lips twisted into a wide smirk, "The second option made more sense, and _so_ much more fun." She chuckled, "Everyone believed me. He was so pissed, but was _really_ funny."

"You are diabolical genius, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. Seriously, how long have you know me? Are you really just figuring that one out Arnoldo?" She laughed, "I'm surprised you aren't lecturing me about lying about Wolfgang's penis. Well he probably does have a small dick. I mean, the way he acted in high school…He had to have been compensating for something."

Arnold smiled, "I might lecture you if Wolfgang didn't deserve it, but he clearly did…So good for you." He paused, "So if wasn't about Wolfgang, who was it about then?"

"Are you asking me who I lost my virginity to?" Helga asked with a raised eyebrow, "Because, I really don't see how that is any of your business."

"I'm sorry. You're right, it's really not." Arnold apologized with a shrug. "I was just curious. Like I said, I thought it was about Wolfgang. I was just trying to think of other guys in school it might have been."

She sighed, "I wasn't in high school when I lost my virginity. His name is Max and I was twenty." Her eyes narrowed, "Why do you look surprised that I didn't have sex until I was twenty?" She crossed her arms, "Since I told you when did you lost your 'V-Card' Hairboy? Who was it with? And while we are at it, how long did you last?" She asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Sixteen and it was Lila."

Helga rolled her eyes, "Of course it was."

"I never got what you had against Lila. She was always so nice and sweet…"

"It's not that I didn't like her, she just annoyed the crap out of me. Every time she said 'ever-so' I wanted to literally punch her in the face." She battered her eyelashes and began her best Lila impression, by pitching her voice up a few octaves, "I'm ever so sure you are just ever so sweet for carrying my books to class Arnold. I'm ever so grateful."

Arnold stared at her for a moment, his lip twitching as he struggled not to laugh because even he had to admit that Helga's impression of Lila was dead on. "You're terrible." He shook his head. "I have to go to the bathroom. Go get changed, we'll be leaving in about ten minutes to meet Edgar and a few others. We need to get our new IDs and find out exactly where we'll be staying in Chicago." He frowned when he noticed the smirk Helga had been wearing fall into a frown. "What' wrong."

"Nothing." She offered him a small smile, "I just kind of forget why I was here for a second there. It was kind of nice." She ran her fingers through her hair, "I'll get changed. I think the sooner I'm out of Boston the better."

* * *

"How are you holding up kid?" Helga looked to her left to see Edgar Allen, Arnold's FBI partner, take a seat next to her.

Helga shrugged, "I don't think everything has fully sunken yet." She told him honestly, "I never though Derek would do anything like this." She shook her head, "This is all so crazy." She paused, biting down on her lower lip, "Did you guys find Tom's body yet?"

Edgar nodded, "The boys dredged him out of the river this morning."

"Were there others?" Helga asked, looking straight ahead. The older man's silence gave Helga her answer. She sighed heavily, trying to figure out how Derek managed to keep her completely in the dark about all his wrong doings.

Sensing she needed a distraction, Edgar decided to change the subject. "So tell me, what was Shortman like growing up?"

Helga's lips twitched upwards into a small smile, "I'm sure he hasn't changed much. Growing up he always preached about doing the right thing. He was Mr. Brightside on just about everything." She paused, "You know, I'm kind of surprised he went into law enforcement…He's a little dense, always missing the obvious…Even if it was right in front of him."

"Sometimes when something is right there in front of you it's the hardest to see." He cleared his throat, "What else? Did he ever do anything wrong?"

"Yes." Helga laughed, "One time in particular comes to mind." She looked at Edgar with a smile. "The summer before senior year another friend of ours made 'special' brownies and well, he and I pretty much ate the entire pan between the two of us. Then we spent about fifty bucks at Taco Bell."

Edgar laughed, "I'm trying to picture Shortman high. I can't do it."

"What are you two laughing about?" Arnold asked as he walked up to the pair. He held two wallets in his hands.

Helga chuckled, "Just telling Edgar here about the time we pissed Sid off by eating all his pot brownies."

"Helga!" Arnold glared at her, "Why would you tell him that?" He practically scolded.

She rolled her eyes, "Come on Arnold, it was like eight years ago. I think it is okay to talk about it. Besides, isn't pot legal in Washington now?"

"Whatever. Here is your new identity." He thrust one of the wallets into her hands. "We need to leave soon."

Helga opened her wallet, curious to see who she was going to be for the time being. _Geraldine Tallman_. An eyebrow shot up, "Are you serious Geraldine? This is because I was a bitch to you in high school, isn't it?"

Arnold grinned, "Yup."

"Whatever. What am I calling you from now on Football head?"

"Craig Tallman."

"Tallman? Really?" She rolled her eyes, "What idiot thought of that? Wait…I'm Geraldine Tallman. Are we supposed to be siblings?"

Arnold shook his head, "Actually…If anyone asks, we are newlyweds."

"Oh joy." Helga sank further into her chair, praying that the trial would come up fast.

Arnold ignored the comment and looked over at Edgar, "Did you tell her yet?"

"Tell me what?" Helga demanded.

Edgar sighed, "We took a look at your car and cell phone. There were tracking devises in both."

Helga visibly paled. "What?" She blinked, "What does that mean?"

"Someone was following your movements. If it was Malloy or one of his men, we don't know. We just know you were being tracked; probably followed too."

Helga said nothing for a few moments. She wanted to be sick. How did she not realize she was being followed? Had she been that used to Brainy stalking her from age nine until eighteen she just didn't realize she was practically being stalked again, "Are we leaving soon?" She finally asked.

Arnold nodded, "We have a few teach guys looking at your laptop to make sure there is nothing in there that they can track you with. You can have the laptop back, but you won't be able to go online. They are almost done and we will go to the airport as soon as they are finished. Our flight leaves in an hour and a half.

* * *

"So have you been back to Hillwood since you left?" Arnold asked. The plane to Chicago had taken off about a half an hour earlier; Helga and Arnold barely said a word to each other since the flight attendant went through all the safety precautions.

"Nope." Helga told him without looking up from her copy of _Sky Mall_.

"Why not?" Arnold asked.

She shrugged, closing the magazine and shoving it back into the back of the seat in front of her. "I guess I never had a reason to. I didn't ever felt the need to see my parents and after Pheebs moved I never was really close to anyone. Phoebe was one of the only people who actually got me, you know?" She missed her childhood friend. Phoebe and her family had moved the summer after eighth grade. Her father had gotten a job offer back in Japan that he just couldn't turn down. Phoebe and Helga had kept in touch on a regular basis until junior year of high school. After that they exchanged an email or two every couple of months. Phoebe was currently in med school after taking two years off to join the peace core, so with her busy schedule it had been a while since Helga had heard from her.

"I didn't like most of the people in our class." She continued, "You and Gerald were alright, Sheena and Eugene were okay, and I liked Nadine once she got her head out of Rhonda's ass." She shrugged, "Other than you guys I just never had the urge to see anyone ever again." It was true she had been closest to Arnold and Gerald during the first four years of high school, though she doubted they were happy about that. "Besides I doubt anyone wanted to see me again. I'm pretty sure everyone hated me." She told him with no hint of sadness or regret in her voice. She simply stated it as a fact.

"We didn't hate you. Sure, you were a pain in the ass, but you were our pain in the ass." Arnold told her honestly. "We were all pretty pissed at you for just up and leaving without telling anyone. None of knew why you never told anyone your college plans. We started to think you weren't even going." He paused. "Why did you leave without telling anyone?"

She shrugged, looking out the window at the clouds below, "I guess I just don't like doing that whole 'goodbye' thing. I figured no one would miss me anyway."

"Well, you were wrong." Arnold mumbled under his breath so quietly he wasn't sure if Helga had heard him. Truthfully he had missed her. A lot. It had surprised him because he had never thought he would miss her. But he missed her sarcasm, her sense of humor; he even missed the Football Head insults. He just missed _her_. He looked at her looking out the window for a few minutes before he turned his attention to his copy of _Sky Mall_.

They remained silent for the rest of the flight.

* * *

As always, if you enjoyed, please review! I'm so excited for what is coming up in this story and I hope you all are too. I'm really hoping I'm going to update _A Twist of Fate_ with in the week. I've missed that story and my muse if finally returning for that one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Up in the Air Part Five**

Arnold checked his watch. He sighed; they were only about twenty minutes into the flight. He glanced over at Helga; her eyes were closed and she had her head resting on the window next to her. He was bored already and wished she hadn't fallen asleep. At least talking to her would have made the flight go by faster.

Arnold couldn't believe how much Helga had changed over the years. Though he knew he was totally dense when it came to fashion he could tell the clothing she was wearing were designer. Her fingernails had been groomed and polished to perfection. He remembered her rock band t-shirts and second hand store jeans in high school. He remembered Rhonda constantly scolding her for biting her finger nails. Now they were filed and perfect looking. It was weird.

He thought back to the day before when Helga had admitted to him and Edgar that Derek Malloy had hit her before. He couldn't help but obsess over it. He knew he probably shouldn't, but he couldn't stop thinking about what the old Helga, the Helga he knew, would have done if anyone would have even tried to lay a hand on her. She wouldn't have let them get away with it. That he knew.

He watched her sleeping for a good long moment. She looked so peaceful…And so beautiful. He closed his eyes remembering when he first realized he was attracted to Helga Pataki. It happened in gym class the beginning of their freshman year of high school. They were running the mile and, of course, Helga was ahead of him. She was a natural athlete and a fast runner. But that's when he noticed it. When she ran her shorts would right up just slightly and he would actually see the shape of her backend. Normally Helga wore jeans that were a little baggier or tops that covered her butt, but today was the first time he noticed she had a really nice butt.

He didn't even want to think of the first time he saw her wear a form fitting top.

Helga had always confused Arnold. She gave him conflicting feelings. She drove him crazy, but he never hated her. She could be the biggest bitch, but he always found that he was attracted to her. He thought back to all the dirty dreams he had about her during high school. He remembered that an odd portion consisted of her yelling at him before they ended up naked. Sometimes during. He had always wondered if he should have been worried about that one.

Sighing heavily, he closed his eyes. The flight to Chicago to Boston was not a long one, maybe he could get a quick nap in. He really did not get the best night of sleep the night before. He was a trained professional, but every creek, every loud neighbor, or noise coming from outside had kept him up and reaching for his gun. He had even gotten up and checked on Helga a few times.

The shooting had shaken him up more than he originally thought. He had witnessed his fair of shootings in his career. It wasn't the shooting itself that really bothered him. It was the fact how fast Derek Malloy was willing to take out Helga. Of course he had known she would be in danger, that's why he and Edgar followed her, but he was not expecting an attempt on her life just minutes after leaving the police station. Thank God she had dropped her phone just before she got that text from Malloy and ducked. If she hadn't…

He opened his eyes and looked over at a still sleeping Helga; well he wouldn't be going to Chicago if she hadn't.

He thought back to his phone conversation from the night before. He was talking to Winston, one of the agents that questioned after Malloy after his arrest. According to Winston, Malloy had feigned concern over Helga after being asked about the shooting. Malloy claimed he knew nothing of it, that he loved her and would never hurt her. He demanded to know if she was alright, which Winston and the other agents refused to tell him if she was or not.

Rubbing his temples he adjusted himself into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes in hope he'd get a small nap in before they landed in Chicago.

Arnold woke up just as the captain made the announcement that they would be landing in just a few minutes. He looked over at Helga, who was still sleeping. He softly shook her arm, "Geraldine." He made sure to use Helga's temporary identity. "Geraldine." He repeated, "You need to wake up, we're about to land."

"Hmm…?" Helga rubbed her eyes, "What…?" She yawned, her surroundings fully registering in her mind. It took her a moment to remember why the hell Arnold was calling her Geraldine. "Oh." She stretched out as much as she could in the cramped plane seat. "Well, that was fast flight." She brushed some stray hair behind her ear, "How was it for you?"

Arnold shrugged, "I slept through about half of it. You fell asleep pretty quickly."

Helga smiled softly, "I normally sleep during flights." She paused, "I feel a little stiff now though. Coach is a little more cramped than I'm used to. Apparently I've become spoiled in the last few years." The plane had landed and the seatbelt sign was now off. Arnold stood up and grabbed their carry-on luggage that was in the overhead compartment.

"Come on, there should be a car waiting for us."

A Chicago based FBI agent, Owen, that Arnold had met on a couple different occasions and another one he never met had been waiting for them at baggage claim. After collecting their bags they got into the car and Owen began to drive them to the apartment they would be staying at. "The fridge and pantry are both stocked." The passenger, Mike, explained. "Since you two are supposed to be married here are you rings." He reached behind himself handing Arnold the rings.

"Here you go." Arnold told Helga as he handed her the ring.

"What a romantic proposal…" Helga said with a smirk. She looked down at the ring a she slipped it on her ring finger. It had looked tiny compared the size of her engagement ring that Derek had given her. She ignored the twinge of guilt she felt for having another ring on her finger. She knew she shouldn't feel guilty, Derek was a murderer. He lied to her and tried to have her killed. There was no reason to feel guilty. "I need different clothes."

Arnold looked at her, "Your clothes are fine. Why do you think you need new clothes?"

"Because these jeans cost three hundred dollars. I get the feeling we won't be living in a we can afford a ridiculously expensive pair of pants kind of apartment."

"They what?" Arnold's eyes widened. "Why in the hell would you spend three hundred dollars on jeans? Are you insane?" He shook his head, "In high school you bought all your clothes at thrift stores and now you spend three hundred dollars on jeans?" He knew she was wearing expensive clothing, but that much money on one pair of jeans?

Helga sighed heavily, "I know it's ridiculous. Believe me, I know. Technically I didn't spend the money, Derek did. He liked the way they looked on me. He liked to spoil me; it felt kind of nice…Besides it not like I really cared what I was wearing." She paused, "Why am I telling you this? I don't even know why I'm defending myself to you."

"I just cannot believe you'd buy that expensive pair of pants. You do realize your ass looks good in a fifty dollar pair, right?"

Helga blinked. Did Arnold just say she had a nice ass?

After making a pit stop at a few clothing stores to buy Helga some new clothes so she wouldn't draw any attention to herself Arnold and Helga arrived at the apartment.

"So are we going to be pretty much stuck in this apartment?" Helga asked as she placed her suitcase in the living room, "Or do we get to go out once in a while?" She looked around the apartment. It was a descent size. It was nice and cozy. It felt homier than Helga had expected. That's the one thing she never liked about her and Derek's home. It felt too sterile and uninviting for her liking.

"We'll have to limit our time outside the apartment. When we do leave, we, well I will need to be aware of our surroundings at all times."

"Well I want to order pizza within the next few nights. I love the deep dish pizza here." With one hand she pulled her suitcase towards the hallway in her other hand she carried her shopping bags. There were two bedrooms in the apartment, "What room do you want me to take?"

"There is one with a bathroom. Take that one." Arnold followed her into the bedroom. He took a quick look at the windows, ensuring they were locked and secure. "Do you need help unpacking?"

"Nah, I got it." Helga set the shopping bags on the bed before picking up her suitcase and placing it on the bed as well. "Do you know if there are scissors or something here?" She asked as she inspected the zip tie that was tied the zipper shut.

"Here." Arnold pulled a pocket knife out of his pants pocket and cut the zip tie open.

"Thanks." Helga opened her suitcase and took out her laptop that was sitting on top.

"The guys disabled the WiFi, so you won't be able to go on the internet. They didn't want to run the risk of anyone being able to track you through your computer."

Helga nodded, "I figured." She sighed, "I still can't believe that he was tracking me this whole time. I never had a moment of privacy, did I?" She started to pull clothes out of her suit case and either hanging them up or putting them in dresser drawers. "Man, I have been stalked a lot in my lifetime."

"Who else stalked you?" Arnold asked, his voice laced in a mix of confusion and concern.

"Oh, come on. Brainy was always following me around. We hung out a lot in high school, didn't you ever notice Brainy always showed up where ever we were?"

Arnold thought about it for a moment, realizing she was right. Somehow Brainy would always show up pretty much everywhere they went, "That's creepy. Why didn't you ever do anything about it?"

"Brainy is harmless. I was never worried about him. Your creep of a cousin on the other hand…."

"Arnie?" Arnold asked.

"Obviously." Helga began to remove the tags from the clothes they just bought. "I had to change my phone number _twice_ because of him. I think I changed my email address four times. He's another reason why I don't have a Facebook."

Arnold winced, he had nearly forgotten about his cousin's creepy obsession with Helga. He thought back after that first Arnie visit. For months Arnie asked about Helga. He would come for a visit every year after that. It took Arnold until high school to realize that the reason Arnie made sure he visited was because of Helga. The last two times he had visited during high school Helga would pretty much disappear until he left. "I swear I never gave him your number or email. I don't know how he got it."

"I know you didn't." Helga assured him, "He's a creep. He'd always find a way." She shuttered, "I just hope I never see him again."

"Is there anything you wanted to do today?"

Helga shrugged, "I don't know. I'll probably just write for a while." It suddenly hit her. She had an entire novel written on her computer. What if she had to into the witness protection program?

"Are you okay?" Arnold asked with concern. She had visibly paled within the last thirty seconds.

"I don't know…I just…" She blinked, "I wrote a book. Derek's read it. I was almost ready to submit it to a publisher. If I'm under protection I'll never be able to publish it, will I?" She wanted to cry. "That was the last year and a half of my life. I poured everything in that book."

Arnold drew into a comforting hug, "I'm sorry." He apologized in a whisper, "I really hope it won't come that." He was surprised when he felt her hug him back, "It'll be okay." He told her, even though he had no idea if that were true or not.

He really hoped it was true.

If you enjoyed, please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Up in the Air Part Six**

Helga released an annoyed sigh as she glared at Arnold over her laptop. "Do you have to do that?" She snapped as she tore her attention away from the short story she was currently working on. She saved the document before closing her laptop and balancing it on the oversized arm of the chair she was sitting in. "Seriously, are you trying to annoy me?"

Arnold and Helga had been roommates for two weeks now, and they were slowly getting on each other's nerves more and more. It didn't take Arnold long to realize the 'old' Helga was still there and was slowly returning. Sometimes, times like at that very moment, he wondered why he missed her in the first place.

Arnold sighed, closing the book he was reading. "All I'm doing is reading and breathing. Which is annoying you?"

"Your breathing." Helga told him bluntly.

"My breathing?" Arnold clarified and Helga nodded sharply, "Sorry, but I kind of have to do that." He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I know, but do you have to do it so loud?" Helga asked. She started to breathe heavily, mimicking the way she felt Arnold was breathing. Of course, it was extremely exaggerated, "Criminy, for a minute there I thought Brainy was in here." She complained as she walked into the kitchen to raid the fridge.

Arnold frowned, "I'm not as bad as Brainy."

"Tell that to my ears." She muttered as she moved things around in the refrigerator in search of something to eat. "Ugh!" She groaned loudly, slamming the refrigerator door shut. "There is nothing to eat!"

"There is plenty to eat." Arnold argued. "Why are you so crabby today? Is it your time of the month or what?" He asked before thinking. He winced, realizing what he asked.

"Excuse me?" Helga marched into the living room, her hands on her hips. "Did you seriously just ask me if I have my period? I have other reasons to be crabby Arnold! Let's think of the reasons why I just might be crabby, shall we? Could it be that I found out my fiancé is a murderer? Or maybe it's because he tried to have me killed. Or perhaps it's because I'm stuck in this stupid apartment with stupid you, Football Head." She seethed, "I have reasons to be crabby Arnoldo and whether I have my period or not is none of your business."

Arnold sighed heavily. "I know and I'm sorry." He apologized. "I shouldn't have asked that. You just seem especially unhappy today." He rubbed his temples. "I guess living in such close quarters is starting get a little hard on us." He chuckled, "Frankly, I'm surprised it took us this long."

Helga just looked at him for a moment, "I'm going to take a nap in my room." She muttered before grabbing her laptop from the chair.

"You're taking a nap?" Arnold asked. "Why?"

"I'm tired." Helga stated the obvious, "Why do you care anyway? Would you rather me keep you company out here?"

Arnold quickly shook his head, "Have a nice nap." He watched Helga as she disappeared into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Instead of returning to his book he turned on the television and started to flip through channels. He knew he probably be relieved that today was the first day they really, truly go on each other's nerves to this extent, but he was worried. Really worried. He didn't know how they were going to make it through this whole situation without driving each other completely crazy.

Sighing heavily, he shut off the television after deciding there was nothing on TV. Arnold stood up walking towards his room to fetch Derek Malloy's case file. Since Helga was taking a nap, he was going to take this opportunity to do some reviewing without being interrupted by her. He had received new information a few days earlier and had yet to read through it.

Arnold glanced at Helga's shut bedroom door, deciding he needed to enjoy the peace and quiet while he had it.

Arnold didn't hear Helga's bedroom door open or hear the blonde make her way into the living room, "What are you working on?" She laughed when Arnold jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. "Ha! Finally, I get sneak up on you for a change." She took a seat on the couch next to Arnold. "Is that Derek's case file?" She looked down at the dozen of photographs that Arnold had scattered on the coffee table in front of the couch. Many of them had Post-it notes attached to them with Arnold's chicken scratch hand writing noting dates, times, people, and places. She recognized several of the people in the pictures, though she wondered who they actually were. Derek lied about who he was and she had no doubt he lied about everyone else he introduced her to as well.

"I didn't hear you come in here." Arnold shut his laptop before Helga could get a peak what was on it, "Yeah, it is." He started to collect the photographs and notes from the coffee table, "How was your nap?"

"Fine." Helga answered, "So I take it I can't see any of that?" She asked, looking down at the photographs again.

"You really shouldn't." Arnold told her. "Not right now anyway. I just really don't think it's a good idea."

"Wait." Helga grabbed the photograph that Arnold just picked out from his hands, "Who is this?" She looked at the photo. She'd seen him before. She just couldn't think of where she had seen him. Her heart started to thump against her chest and she could feel her palms begin to sweat.

"Umm…" Arnold took a look the picture, "That is Vince Longhorn. He is one of Derek's muscles. He's the guy Derek sends in to do whatever he needs to get done. Do you recognize him?" He frowned when he noticed how rattled she suddenly looked. "Hey, you okay?"

"I do recognize him, but…It can't be who I think it is. It just _can't_."

Arnold's frown deepened as Helga became increasingly more distraught. "What's wrong? Who do you think that is?"

"Do you remember that day at station? When I reported Derek?"

Arnold nodded, "Of course I do. What about it?"

"You asked me how Derek and I met…."

Again, Arnold nodded. "Yeah, you said some creep tried to follow you to your car. Derek stopped him though."

"That wasn't _exactly_ the truth." Helga admitted. "The truth is…" She paused swallowing the dry lump in her throat. "He did follow me to my car. He _attacked_ me. He pinned me to my car and twisted my arms behind my back." She blinked away tears.

"Helga…." Slowly, careful not to spook her he placed a hand on her shoulder, "What…"

"He was so much stronger than me." Helga continued. "He could have kept me in that position for hours if he had wanted to. I struggled. I fought back, but he was so damn strong. I couldn't move. I thought he was going to…." Her voice traveled off, unable to vocalize it. "But then Derek showed up. He tore the guy off me like he was nothing. He threw a few punches and that creep ran off." For the first time during the telling of her experience Helga made eye contact with Arnold, with tears threatening to spill. "He planned the whole thing, didn't he?"

More than anything Arnold wanted to tell her that wasn't necessarily true, that maybe didn't plan it. He really wished he could tell her anything but the painfully awful truth. So instead he just wrapped around her shoulders, "I'm so sorry Helga."

"I can't believe I fell for all his crap!" Tears finally made her way down her cheeks. "He's manipulated me since the moment I met him. My God, how did I ever think he actually loved me?"

"Maybe he did love you…" Arnold suggested, "I mean he did go through a lot of effort to ensure that you wouldn't find out his real dealings." He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to try to convince her that she had been loved by the bastard. Maybe he thought she needed to hear it.

"No. He manipulated me. That's not love Arnold. That's some sick, _sick_, way into tricking me into a relationship. He's a sociopath." Pulling away from Arnold she tunneled her fingers through her hair, "He made me think I was going to be raped. Why? So he could play the knight in shining armor? Who the hell does that?" She buried her head in her hands, "How did I not see what he was doing to me? He's been manipulating me since the second I met him. The scary thing is that he was so good at it I didn't even realize he was doing it."

"That's not your fault, you know that right?" Arnold asked. "Your right, he's a sociopath. He told you everything you wanted to hear and hid anything that you wouldn't like…"

"I'm going to be sick." Covering her mouth, Helga jumped up from couch and dashed towards into the bathroom that was attached her room.

Arnold followed her into the bathroom and held her hair back as she vomited into the toilet. "Are you okay?" He asked, knowing it was a dumb question.

"Not really." Helga wiped her mouth with a tissue before throwing it into the toilet and flushing everything down. "Do mind just going to the living room or your room. Just anywhere other than here? I need some time alone."

Arnold nodded weakly, "Take all the time you need." He stopped at the bathroom door as Helga squirted some toothpaste onto her toothbrush. "Just know I'm here for you if you need me."

Helga nodded, "I know. Shut my bedroom door on your way out?"

It felt like an eternity before Helga left her room and joined him on the couch again. Arnold was surprised to see her hair was several inches shorter than before she needed her alone time. "Your hair is shorter." He observed dumbly. "You cut your hair." Her hair that once flowed a good few inches beyond her shoulders was now just shoulder length. The length paired with the side swept bangs gave her quite a different look. Still just as beautiful, but different nonetheless.

"I did. I saw a pair of scissors in own of the drawers in the bathroom and I remembered how Derek never wanted me to cut my hair, he always said he liked it long. So I just started cutting." Cutting her own hair was nothing new for Helga. She used to do it all the time in high school and she really wasn't bad at it.

"I like it. It looks really nice."

Helga offered Arnold a small smile. "Thanks."

"How are you doing?"

"I've been better." Helga admitted, "I've just been doing a lot of thinking. I've made a lot of realizations." Before Arnold could ask for specifics she continued, "I realized how controlling he was, you know? It seems so obvious now. I don't know how I didn't see it earlier. I just have so much more clarity now." She bit down on her bottom lip nervously, "Before we moved to Boston together he tried to convince me not work. He told me I should follow my passion and just write. He knew I _dreamed_ to write my own novel. He used that passion that dream, to try to get me to rely on him financially. He didn't care about me fulfilling my lifelong dream. He just wanted me to depend on him."

Arnold nodded, "That's not uncommon for men like Derek."

"I changed so much about myself because of him, I changed _for_ him." Helga shook her head, "I never thought I'd do that, but you saw the designer clothes. When did I ever care about designer clothes? I feel like such an idiot."

"You're not." Arnold promised. "I swear you're not. You were just in love. People are more willing to make changes when they're in love."

Her shoulders slumped, "I just hate that I never saw it until now."

Arnold gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "You see it now. That's all that matters."

*  
It was three nights later when Arnold woke up in the middle of the night. He glanced at the clock next to his bed. It was three in the morning. Stifling a yawn he decided to use the bathroom. On his way back to his bedroom after relieving himself he noticed something a little off.

Helga's bedroom door was slightly ajar. He frowned. Helga always slept with her door shut. Silently and quickly as possible he made his way to the room and nudged the door open. His breath hitched when he noticed she wasn't in bed. She had to be in the bathroom. "Helga?" He called out as he made long strides to the bathroom door.

She didn't respond and Arnold was starting to panic.

"Helga!" He called out again and opened the bathroom door. The room was dark and Helga was nowhere in sight. Shit. Shit. Shit. Where was she? He darted back into his room and grabbed his gun and cellphone. He was dialing Edgar's number as he walked into the living room. He was the last number when he heard door open. He dropped the phone and raised his gun.

"Criminy Arnold! Put that thing down!" Helga snapped in a loud whisper. She shut and locked the door behind her.

"What the fuck Helga?! Where the hell where you? What the _fuck_ where you _thinking_?" Arnold was practically yelling, but not too loud. He was still aware they were in an apartment complex and they had neighbors.

Helga rolled her eyes, "Calm down. I was gone for like minutes." She quickly tried to downplay the situation.

"I thought someone got to you. Do you have any idea what you just did to me? I was terrified something happened to you! What did you have to do that was so important that you left at three in the morning without me?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. I'm _fine_. I just had to do something and didn't want to bother you. You never would have known I left if you hadn't woken up."

"That's not the point. You are under _my_ protection." Arnold's eyes narrowed at the squirmy blonde as she clutched on purse closely against her body. "What is in your purse?"

"Nothing." Helga quickly took a step back, trying to hide her purse behind her back.

Arnold quickly darted forward, ripping the purse out of Helga's hands before she even had time to react. All she could do is squeak in a mixture of surprise and protest. Opening the purse he quickly discovered an unmarked paper bag. He yanked it out of the purse and ripped the bag open. His eyes went wide in shock when he saw the bags contents.

It was a pregnancy test.

Helga bought a pregnancy test.

Arnold locked eyes with a terrified looking Helga. "You're pregnant?"

So…I'm evil…Sorry. If you enjoyed, please review.


	7. Chapter 7

**Up in the Air Part Seven**

"You're pregnant?" Arnold repeated disbelief and panic evident in his voice. He studied the expression on her face for a good long moment and realized she looked absolutely petrified. The truth was he was too. She had been having a hard enough time with everything that Derek had done to her. How was she going to handle being pregnant with that son of a bitch's child on top everything?

"I don't know." Helga told him quietly. "That's why I needed the test." She glared at him while grabbing the test box back from him. She took a seat on the couch looking down at the box in her shaking hands, "I woke up a little while ago and I just couldn't wait to find out anymore. I needed to know." She admitted.

Arnold nodded as he sat down next to her. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. They just sat in the dark in silence. "Why do you think you are?" He finally asked her. "Have you been throwing up?" He thought back to a few days earlier, when Helga saw the picture of the man attacked her when she and Derek met. She threw up that night.

"A few times." Helga admitted. "I was supposed to have my period like two weeks ago." She awkwardly admitted. "I kept hoping it was because of the stress of everything." She blushed, "This is so embarrassing talking to you about."

"Don't be embarrassed." He offered her a small reassuring smile, "I've had girlfriends. I've bought them tampons before." He nudged her slightly in the hope to get her to smile just a little. She didn't. "You have been really stressed." Arnold pointed out, "Stress can do that, can't it? Mess with your monthly…things?" He asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, it can. I didn't have a regular cycle until college. I can thank Bob and Miriam for that one." She muttered. "What am I going to do if I'm pregnant?"

Arnold squeezed her hand, "We'll figure that out once we know for sure. I don't really know how, but for now I just know we will figure it out." While one hand still held her hand, his other went to her chin moving it so she was facing him, "We'll figure it out together. Okay?"

Slowly, she nodded. "Okay." She pulled her hand out of Arnold's gentle grip. "I have to pee. I'm going to take the test now." She didn't wait for Arnold to respond. She just quickly made her way to her bathroom.

Afterwards, Helga and Arnold sat at the foot of her bed waiting the five minutes for the pregnancy test to be complete. "How long has it been?" Arnold asked. The five minutes had to be up soon.

Helga checked her watch, "One minute forty five seconds."

Arnold sighed, "It felt longer than that."

"You need to stop doing that. You're making me even more nervous." She tunneled her fingers through her hair, "Well, maybe if I'm pregnant, Derek won't want to kill me anymore; that could be a plus."

Arnold shot her a look, "That's not funny."

Helga rolled her eyes, "I wasn't trying to be. Actually, I was serious."

"I'm still mad at you." Arnold told her. "You never should have left this apartment without me."

"Ugh!" She groaned, "I was gone for five minutes. If it wasn't for your bladder you never would have known I left. Get over it."

"That's not the point and you know it." Arnold snapped, "What if someone on Derek's payroll saw you? You might know who they are, but they sure as hell know who you are. Did anyone see you when you were out?"

"A couple of drunk college guys buying condoms." She sighed, "And here I was buying a pregnancy test." She glanced at her watch. "It's been five minutes." She took a deep breath and stood up. Arnold followed her to the bathroom where the pregnancy test sat on the bathroom counter.

"What does it say?" Arnold asked, trying to peer at the test over her shoulder.

"It's negative."

"It's negative? That's great!" He studied Helga for a moment, who didn't look anymore relieved. "That is great, isn't it?" He paused, "Were you hoping for a different result?"

"No…I just thought I would feel relief if it came back negative. I just don't. What if it's a false negative?" She sighed, throwing the test away in the garbage. "I just don't think I'm going to feel any type of relief until I know for sure." She sighed, "I hate this. I've been such an emotional mess lately." She quickly wiped away tears from her eyes, "I have cried more times in the past two weeks then I have in my entire life."

Arnold released a sympathetic sigh, "You're not an emotional wreck. You're just someone who has been through a hell of a lot in a short amount of time. It would knock anyone on their ass." He cleared his throat, "Let's just go back to bed and we'll talk more about this in the morning."

Helga only nodded as she followed him out of the bathroom.

* * *

Later that morning Arnold woke up just after eight. He showered right away, hoping it would wake him up a little bit. After Helga's brief disappearance and then her revealing she that might be pregnant, he didn't get much sleep. The initial relief he felt when the test came back negative was short lived. He quickly realized Helga was right. It could be a false negative. He knew it was a possibility that she took the test too early to detect pregnancy. He had no reason to believe that Helga and Derek had not been sexually active up until she saw Derek murder Tom. They could have conceived a child that morning for all he knew.

He felt himself cringe at the thought of Helga being intimate with that monster. It truly made him sick to think of all the ways Derek had manipulated Helga. If Helga had known anything of Derek's real dealings she never would have dated him, let alone slept with him. He thought about Vince Longhorn and how Derek had apparently gotten him to attack Helga in order to meet her. He could only imagine how terrified Helga must have been when Vince had her pinned against her car. He'd seen Vince both in picture and in person and he was a big guy. There was a very good reason why he was one of Derek's muscles and he was a giant next to Helga.

After showering Arnold decided to momentarily distract himself by watching television until Helga woke up. He settled on a _Friends_ marathon. Four episodes later, Arnold became slightly concerned that Helga hadn't come out of her room yet. He frowned. She was in her room, wasn't she? He jumped out of his seat and jogged towards Helga's bedroom and flung the door open.

"What the Hell?" Helga shrieked from her bed, "What's going on?"

"Sorry." Arnold apologized. He had clearly woken her up. "It's after ten and you weren't up yet…"

"So you decided to come barging into my room? Criminy, Arnold. You scared the crap out of me. You do remember someone tried to kill me a couple weeks ago, right?"

"You're usually up by now…I was worried you left without telling me again."

Helga looked at her bedside clock and saw it was 10:40. She couldn't remember the last time she slept that late. "Well, I've been through a lot lately, so forgive me if I need to sleep in once in a while." She snapped angrily. "You could have at least knocked before barging in and practically giving me a heart attack."

Arnold had to bite his tongue. He wanted so badly to snap back at her, but he knew that wouldn't help anything. Truthfully, she _had_ been through a lot lately. It wouldn't be right yelling at her just to argue with her, especially if she really was pregnant. So instead he just sighed heavily and apologized, "You're right. I'm sorry. I was just worried…"

"I'm sorry too. I guess I shouldn't blame you for being worried. I mean I'm the one who gave you a reason to worry in the first place."

"It's weird when you apologize."

Helga rolled her eyes, "You're an idiot."

* * *

Three days later Arnold was sitting in the living room flipping through channels on the television when Helga practically skipped into the kitchen. "Guess what?" She asked as she opened the cupboard next to the refrigerator.

"What?" Arnold asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"I'm not pregnant! I'm celebrating." She nearly squealed holding up a bottle of whiskey. "You want to celebrate with me?" She didn't wait for him to answer. Instead, she took out two glasses, filling them with ice and a shot or so of whiskey before filling the rest of the glass with Yahoo soda.

"You're not? Are you sure?"

Helga nodded, "I'm sure." Even from his seat on the couch Arnold could see Helga smiling as she took a drink. She took the seat next to him and handed him the glass she didn't drink out of. "To me not being pregnant." She toasted and they 'clinked' glasses and both took a long drink.

"Damn, this is strong." Arnold made a face before taking another drink, slowly getting used to the strong taste of whiskey. "If we are going to be celebrating like this all night I'm ordering us a pizza."

Two hours, an entire pizza, and several drinks later Arnold and Helga were both feeling the effects of alcohol. They were sitting on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. They had spent the last hour reminiscing. "Remember when we went to Chez Paris in fourth grade?"

"Which time?" Helga questioned before taking a drink of her Yahoo and whiskey.

"What do you mean which time? We were only there once."

"We were there twice Football Head. When Gerald and Pheebs were with us and that time I pretended to be your pen pal." She laughed, "Man, I did some crazy things back then. What was her name again?"

"YOU WERE CECILE?" Arnold nearly shouted. "Are you serious?"

Helga's eyes widened, "You didn't know?" She began laughing nearly hysterically, "I thought you knew! How did you not figure that out?"

"I had no idea." Arnold buried his head in his hands. "I kept your shoe for years. I _still_ think of that night every Valentine's Day."

"I don't understand how you didn't know. How did you not figure it out after all these years? It's not like I was wearing some clever disguise. I wore my hair over my eye. Oh! Wait…" Helga pushed her bangs over her right eye, "Look, now I'm Cecile." She laughed, shaking her head, "How did you become a member of the FBI when you are _this_ oblivious?"

"I don't know how I didn't know….Maybe it was because you were nice for a change." Arnold accused. "We hung out all the time in junior high and high school how had we never talked about this?"

Helga shrugged, "I figured it was one of those things we never talk about. Like that time we tangoed. Or that time professed my love for you on the rooftop of the FTi building. I just thought it was one of those things we were never going to bring up again."

Arnold looked at her for a long moment, "You meant what you said that day at FTi, didn't you?"

Helga shrugged. Her already pink cheeks turned even pinker, "Does it really matter? It was such a long time ago."

Arnold looked at her, "How...How long did you like me for? I mean, when did you stop?"

"I'm not really sure." Helga told him truthfully. "I think it was a slow process…" She paused, "It was like one morning I woke up and didn't feel _that_ way towards you anymore." She finished off her drink. "I need to stop drinking. It makes me tell the truth and makes me look like a total idiot." She looked down away from him, clearly embarrassed.

Arnold felt bad. He could see that she was embarrassed by the whole thing. He sighed; he knew a way to ease her embarrassment. He needed to make a confession too. Arnold downed the rest of his drink.

"I had sex dreams about you in high school. A lot of them."

Helga snapped her head towards his, "You what?" She laughed, "You can't be serious?"

Arnold nodded, "I am…I was fifteen when I had the first one. Remember, we were in the same gym class? We were running the mile and you were ahead of me and your gym shorts kept riding up…And…" He groaned, "You were always wearing those baggy jeans, I never realized you had such a nice…" He blushed, "I just realized how nice your body was."

Helga blinked, so flabbergasted she didn't know what to say, "So what did we do in these dreams?" She couldn't help but ask.

"I…I don't know….The normal stuff." He stuttered, he decided it would be best _not_ to tell her about the sex dreams that involved her yelling at him during the act. He closed her eyes, imagining her so perfectly barking out instructions on what to do to her. Touch her here, kiss her there, do her harder…

His eyes snapped open. He _needed_ to stop thinking about Helga like _that_.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Arnold raised an eyebrow, "Are you serious? I thought you would have killed me thinking of you _that_ way. I guess we both had our secrets to keep growing up."

"So when did you stop thinking of me that way?" Helga asked, nudging him slightly.

Arnold's breath hitched. Seeing her again, spending time with her again, he wasn't sure if he ever _stopped_ thinking about her that way. Of course, in the years he didn't see her he didn't really think of her much. But now…

He needed to give Helga an answer, "I guess it was kind of like what you said…It just went slowly went away."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. "We should probably go to bed. I think enough embarrassing secrets have been revealed enough."

Arnold nodded, standing up. "You're probably right." He held out a hand, helping Helga up. He and Helga began collecting the paper plates, pizza box, and napkins from the coffee table in silence. After throwing away the garbage and putting their glasses and silverware in the dishwasher they said an awkward goodnight to one another. Helga disappeared into her bedroom and Arnold went to the bathroom.

After using the toilet and brushing his teeth Arnold splashed some cold water on his face. Looking at his reflection, he sighed heavily.

Old suppressed feelings about Helga were coming flooding back and Arnold didn't know how to stop them.

* * *

As always, if you enjoyed please review.

And a question for everyone...If Arnold and Helga end up having sexy times (nothing too explicit) would you all be okay if I post a 'sexy time' warning in the beginning of the chapter and if you choose you can just skip through it or would you rather I post it in a different post with an M rating. For what I may or may not have planned now I'm not really sure it constitutes for an M rating and I definitely don't want to change this to an M rating, especially if the content will only be for a few chapters. Please let me know what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has read, followed, Favorited, and especially to those who have taken the time to review this story. After posting the last chapter I hit over 100 reviews, 100 follows, and 50 favorites. I can't begin to express how much that all means to me. When I started writing for this fandom almost two years ago I never imagined I would never receive so much..I don't know what to call it, love, recognition? Just thank you all! You are all awesome.

* * *

**Up in the Air Part Eight**

Helga smiled sleepily as she felt a pair of lips on her bare shoulder. She blinked her eyes open slowly taking in the morning sunlight pooling into the room. She turned, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Good morning." Her hands moved to his cheeks, pulling his mouth to hers.

After kissing her deeply he pulled away, his brown eyes peering into her blue ones. "Good morning sexy, did you sleep well?" He asked before planting small kisses starting at her neck and his lips making their way to her collar bone.

"With you next to me, I always sleep well." Helga smiled, her fingers tunneled through his brunette hair as he kissed the fabric of her tank top that covered her breasts. She moaned softly, "Do you need to get ready for work soon? Because if you are going to get me all hot and bothered and just leave I'm going to be pissed."

"You forget Helga…" He grabbed the hem of her tank top, pulling it off over her head and tossing it over his shoulder. She smiled at him as he smiled down at her admiring the naked half of her upper body, "I'm the boss." He kissed her. "I can show up whenever I want." He kissed her again. "We can take all the time we need."

Helga giggled as she pulled him into another kiss, "Good."

After a strenuous round of love making Helga washed her face and brushed her teeth as he took a shower, but not before he asked if she wanted to join him. She refused, telling him that they really should start their day. Her phone beeped, reminding her to take her birth control pill just as he stepped out of the shower.

He watched her over her shoulder as she took her pill, "Why are you still taking those?" He wrapped a towel around his waist. "I thought you were going to stop after we got engaged." He watched her in the bathroom mirror as he began to dry off.

Helga watched his reflection frown deeply when she rolled her eyes, "We haven't even set a date yet. I'm not going to stop taking birth control until a month or two before the wedding. I don't want to be all big and pregnant on our wedding day, a month or two, maybe…What's the rush anyway? Criminy." She let out a frustrated sigh.

"Hey!" He practically shouted at her as he grabbed her arm roughly turning her body around so she was facing him. Helga froze. She recognized the look in his eye, she had seen it before. He had hit her a handful of times in their four year relationship and each time he had that look. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for what she was sure what was to come next. To her relief he released the painful grip he had around her arm and gently took her into his arms. "I'm sorry." He whispered. He kissed her softly on her forehead. "You're right, there is no rush." He tunneled his fingers through her hair, "I just love you so much. I guess I don't want to wait to start a family with you."

She offered him a small smile, "I know. I want to start a family with you too. I just want to wait until after the wedding."

"I know…" He hugged her tightly, "I'm so sorry Helga." He caressed the spot on her arm that he had grabbed, "Did I hurt you?"

"No." She lied. Her arm was still throbbing. He wasn't exactly the Hulk or anything, but he was deceptively strong and had a vice like grip. "I'm fine."

"Good. I need to get ready for work. How about tonight I take you out to make up for it. We go to that Mexican place you love so much. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great."

He leaned down and kissed her. "I love you, Helga. Please don't forget that."

She kissed him back, smiling. "I know and I love you too Derek."

* * *

Helga shot up upright in bed, breathing heavily. She shuttered heavily and felt sick to her stomach. She had dreamed of Derek pretty much every night since arriving in Chicago, but each time it was always seeing Derek shoot Tom over and over again. It was never like that… Her dreams were never of a good memory. Of course she now she realized she should have seen all the red flags, that it wasn't exactly a good memory. Now the very thought of Derek touching her in any intimate way made her skin crawl. The argument about Helga going off birth control happened only a few weeks before the murder. Up until right then Helga had wondered why Derek had been so insistent to start a family right away.

She had a heavy suspicion it would be his way to control her even more, to trap her. Obviously he wouldn't be able to keep his secret forever, that part was clear. Even if they had gotten married, divorce would have been easier without a child. He would have used the child as a bargaining chip. She swallowed the dry lump forming in her throat. He would have used the baby to force her to stay. The very thought of it all made her feel even more sick on top of the hangover she knew she had.

Her hands went to her flat stomach. There was no baby in there and she had been so happy about that. But now...She wasn't sure what she was feeling. She was still relieved, but she was beginning to feel guilty for it. She looked at the clock next to the bed. Seeing it was nine thirty, she decided to get up.

Her stomach churned as she walked out of her room. Stupid, stupid hangover Helga cursed as she made her way to the living room couch, where Arnold was already sitting. He looked up at her, "Do you feel as crappy as I do?"

"I didn't think we drank that much…" Helga muttered, sitting in the spot next to Arnold.

He gave her a look, "I told you I have sex dreams about you; we obviously drank enough."

"This is true." She agreed, she too confessed a few things she never would have if she had been completely sober. Wait. Did he just save have, as in presently? She "Wait. You just said have. Not had. Do you still have them?" She asked wide eyed.

"What? No!" Arnold lied, "I swear I don't. I meant had, not have." He face palmed. Up until last night that would have been completely true, but after their discussion last night the dreams came back. Briefly the image of him having Helga pinned against the hallway wall as he took off her panties flashed in his brain. He shook his head, willing the image to leave his brain. The dreams were even more vivid and realistic as ever. "I meant have." He repeated.

She raised a suspicious eyebrow and smirked, "Whatever you say Arnold." She sighed, "Can we go to McDonald's? A double cheeseburger sounds so good right now."

McDonald's was tempting, very tempting. The fast food chain was his normal hangover cure. "It probably isn't the best idea." Arnold told her, "What if someone recognizes you?"

For a moment Helga didn't say anything. Silently she moved her bangs so they fell over right eye, "There. Now no one ever recognize me now."

Arnold knew immediately she was referring to Cecile. The corners of his lips twitched into a smile, "Smart ass."

"Come on, can we please go? If you're really worried about someone recognizing me, I'll stay here. We'll lock the doors. I'll hide in my bathroom with all three doors locked."

Arnold sighed, "You know this would really be against protocol."

"It can't be much more against protocol than drinking with me last night. Come on. It will make us feel better. There's one like block and a half from here. You can be back in less than ten minutes. Or I can go with you and we can get our food to go."

Arnold sighed, "Fine. We can go. You don't talk to anyone, okay? We go in and out and eat here."

* * *

To Arnold's relief the trip to McDonald's took less than ten minutes and was completely uneventful. He watched Helga chew on her cheeseburger with a perplexed look on her face. "Everything okay? Is your food gross or something?"

"No." Helga answered quickly after swallowing her bite of food. She took a drink from her water. "I just…It's nothing I guess. I just wish I could turn my brain off sometimes."

Arnold raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"It's nothing."

"You look upset…It's obviously not nothing." Arnold told her with concern in his eyes, "You can tell me."

"I just keep thinking about what I would have done if I had been pregnant."

"But you're not. What else is there to think about?" Arnold asked.

"I'm wondering how good of mother I would have been. I keep thinking about how relieved I was when I knew I wasn't, I really didn't want to have Derek's child. What if I had been pregnant and resented the baby? What if I would have treated the baby the way Bob and Miriam treated me? I…I'd never forgive myself if I did that." She looked down at her half eaten food, hating she admitted this all out loud. "I just know what it feels like when the people who are supposed to love you never really wanted you. That's the last thing I would want to do for my child."

"Helga, look at me." Arnold demanded. Reluctantly Helga complied. "You're being way too hard on yourself. Anyone in your situation would be relieved. You may have had a hard time adjusting to pregnancy, but I don't think for a second that you'd treat the baby badly. You would have been a good mom." He wanted to tell her she was wrong about her parents, but honestly he wasn't sure if she was. He didn't doubt they loved her in their own way, he was sure they did; but it was painfully obvious they treated Olga differently than Helga. While they showered Olga with love and affection, Helga was always shoved off to the side. "You'd be a good mom." He repeated, "No matter who the father was."

Helga smiled, "You really think that?"

Quickly Arnold nodded, "Yes."

"Thanks." She continued eating. "You'd think after knowing I wasn't pregnant, I'd stop being such an emotional wreck. I'm so not used to this."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, "I know I asked you this before and you said that Derek slapped you a few times...Was he abusive in other ways?"

"It's hard to explain…." Helga admitted, "He could have a short temper with me when I disagreed with him. Looking back, there was a lot of times I think he was on the brink of just completely losing it on me, but he almost always managed to compose himself. Aside from the times he backhanded me."

Arnold winced at the thought of someone being violent with her.

"Other than that he'd grab me a bit too roughly once in a while. Looking back he was always pretty controlling, though I didn't really realize it at the time." She brushed some stray hairs behind my ear, "Now I wonder if things would have changed if we got married. I'm not sure he would have tried so hard to hold back. Thank God I'll never have to find out." She swallowed nervously, "Can I ask you something now?"

He nodded, "What is it?"

"What did Derek say when he was first in custody? What did he say about the shooting?"

Arnold remained silent for a long moment. "He denied it, of course. Most criminals do. He claimed he had nothing to do with it. He claimed he didn't know you went to the police. He wanted to know if you were okay or not."

"What did they tell him?"

"They wouldn't tell him anything. From what I hear he became pretty irate when they wouldn't say if you were dead or not."

"Bastard." Helga mumbled. "Have you heard anything about the trial at all?"

"Not yet. We should hear something soon though."

"Good. The sooner the trial is over, the better." She crumpled out her cheeseburger wrapper, "So…What do you want to do today?"

* * *

Two nights later, Helga was shaken awake by Arnold in the middle of the night. "Helga. Wake up." He demanded in a low voice.

"What?" Helga rubbed her eyes, "Criminy…It's two in the morning. What do you want?" She asked crankily.

"You need to get up." Arnold told her, flipping on the bedroom lights. "I just got a call from Edgar. Derek escaped from prison. You have five minutes to pack. The FBI is sending a car for us and we are leaving here as soon as they arrive."

Helga shot out of bed, "Does he know where I am?"

"We don't know, but we can't risk it. We're relocating." He checked her clock. "You have four minutes to pack now."

* * *

In case there was any confusion Helga's dream in the beginning did actually happen a few weeks before Derek murdered Tom, so it was essentially a flashback.

As always, please review!

And if anyone is interested, I started a Pinterest account that is dedicated to Arnold, Helga, and my stories. So far the boards consist of actors I imagine portraying our favorite blondes and inspiration pictures for my stories (so far just this one and Lightning Bolt. I'm going to start one for A Twist of Fate really soon. I also hope to update it real soon. I miss that story!). Anyway, if you are curious on what Derek looks like check it out. My user name is HGPlovesAPS.


	9. Chapter 9

**Up in the Air Part Nine**

Helga felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She released an unsteady breath as she wiped her sweaty palms on her pants. Derek had escaped prison and Helga was sure he knew where she was. The car was silent. She was in the backseat with Arnold and there were two other federal agents sitting up front. She and Arnold had been picked up from the apartment nearly twenty minutes earlier and the car ride had been virtually silent since then and Helga wasn't sure how long she could handle the silence.

"Hey…" She looked over at Arnold when she felt him take her hand and give it a gentle squeeze.  
"You okay?"

Out of the corner of her eye Helga noticed the two officers sitting in front look back at the gesture. Arnold must have noticed too, because he quickly released her hand. "Well, the man who wants me dead just escaped prison so he can mostly likely have the honor of to do the deed himself. I'm just peachy, Football Head." She replied sarcastically. She shot a look at the two men, who apparently found something about that statement amusing, snickering in the front seat. She kicked the passenger side seat that she was sitting behind. "I'm glad you find my current predicament amusing."

"Helga, he's a federal agent. You can't do that." Arnold scolded, yet he had the tiniest hint of a smile on his lips.

She rolled her eyes, "I kicked the back of his car seat. I could have kicked him in the ba-"

"Helga!"

"What?" Helga asked innocently, "I didn't say I was going to, I just was just saying I could have."

"You really should learn to respect your authority figures." Arnold argued. Still keeping his hands to himself, he crossed his arms.

Helga snorted, "Have you just met me?" She asked, "Let's review the 'authority' figures I had growing up, shall we? Who should have, I respected more the one who was drunk ninety-nine percent of my childhood or the sober one who seemed to never remember my name?" She scowled, "Someone can get my respect once they earn it."

"I get that, but there is a difference between your crappy parents and federal officers." He winced, immediately regretting his words.

Before he could muster up an apology Helga interrupted, "I think it is ridiculous that you think I should automatically respect someone because of their title."

"I know you two had a cover story of being married, but would you quit bickering like an old married couple?" The agent in the passenger seat asked.

"Shut up!" Helga and Arnold shouted in unison. Helga shot Arnold a look, "What happened to respecting authority figures?"

"He's more of a co-worker than my authority figure." Arnold argued.

"Actually Shortman we both outrank you."

Before there could be any more arguments Helga interjected, "So where are you taking us anyway?" She wondered if it even mattered, if Derek would find her no matter what. From everything Arnold had said about Derek and the case she guessed that he had some serious connections.

"We're on our way to a private airport where you'll take a private plane to Maine. We don't know where you're going from there. With your last location compromised, your next one will be is a need to know kind of thing and frankly we don't need to know."

Helga didn't respond, she could feel the fear of the situation bubbling up inside her stomach. Derek knew she had been in Chicago. She just knew he knew.

"It's going to be okay, Helga." Arnold tried to promise her, "I won't let Derek or anyone else hurt you."

"Unless they kill you first." Helga muttered, "You think he's got someone on the inside helping him, don't you? He knew exactly where I was in Chicago and that's why he escaped when he did. Someone helped him with that too. That why our relocation spot is on a need to know basis, because you have no idea who the dirty agent is. Hell, there could be dozens."

Arnold and the other two agents didn't say anything, knowing that Helga was completely right. There very well could be a dirty agent among them and they had no way of knowing who it was.

* * *

It was a full day later when Helga and Arnold arrived at their final destination. They'd be staying in a house this time. It was secluded and tucked away in a wooded area, away from any close by homes in a small town, that Helga had already forgotten the name of. Helga was slightly confused how this was going to be any safer, but the agent that brought them there insisted that it was. Apparently there was an impressive surveillance system outside the small two bedroom house that was going to be constantly monitored. Somehow, even with the extra security, it still didn't make her feel any better.

Arnold was worried about her again. The last few days in Chicago she finally started to act like her old self, but now she quickly reverted back to wallowing. He sighed; he had to find a way to snap her out of it. He looked over at her; she was sitting on the couch mindlessly flipping through a book. He doubted she was actually anything in it. "Helga." He grabbed the book away from her, ignoring her protests. "I know you're scared, but I promise you, I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"He wouldn't hesitate to kill you." Helga look at him, "You know that, right? He would kill you to get to me. I'd never forgive myself if get hurt because of me."

"Helga…Look at me." Arnold commanded, he turned her shoulders so she was facing him. "The day I joined the FBI I knew there were risks. I knew the risks when I joined the police academy. Don't even think for a second if something would happen to me it would be your fault."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Helga mumbled, "I'm really scared." She admitted, "I don't want to die. I don't want you to get hurt because of me." With Arnold's hands still resting on her shoulders Helga bowed her head, "Maybe it would have been best I hadn't ducked."

It took Arnold a moment to realize exactly what she was talking about. She thought it might be better if whoever it was who shot up her car had succeeded in killing her back in Boston. He squeezed her shoulders softly. "Why would you say something like that? You told me you'd never forgive yourself if something happened to me…How do you think I'd feel if something happened to you while you were on my watch? Even if you weren't on my protection…Just the thought of anything happening to you…I can't even think about it. Don't you know how much it would destroy me? Don't you know much I care about you?"

"So what we are saying is that we would both be pretty devastated if something happened to the other?" She found herself leaning forward. Or was Arnold pulling her towards him? She blinked when she noticed Arnold making more intense eye contact than usual. Wait. Was he looking in her eyes or gazing?

"That's what I was saying." Arnold told her in a hushed whisper.

Was his voice huskier than normal? Helga felt her heart rate speed up as Arnold leaned towards her. Her mind started to race. What was happening? She quickly pulled herself out of Arnold's gentle grip. "I'm hungry." She blurted out. "Someone stocked the fridge, right? We should eat something." Laughing nervously, she got up from off the couch and made her way towards the kitchen, "I'll go make us something."

Arnold was left there, sitting on the couch, stunned. Did he just try kissing Helga? He knew he had wanted to kiss her (kiss her, touch her, make love to her) since they drank together the night she found out she wasn't pregnant, but he never thought he'd actually act on it. Was he possessed for a few seconds there? He shook his head almost violently; he needed to stop thinking about Helga as a sexual being. She was someone he needed to protect and nothing more.

He followed Helga into the kitchen, "I had the guys pick us up some pastrami and rye buns. That's still you're favorite, right?" He scratched the back of his neck nervously. He quickly realized that she wasn't exactly looking for something to eat. She was more or less staring inside the open refrigerator. He mentally kicked himself, he completely freaked her out and knowing what her favorite meal was wasn't helping his cause to see Helga as a case and not someone he wanted to…Well there were a lot of things he wanted to do with her…To her. He sighed, this needed stop.

"Oh. That sounds great. Let's have that." She said rather monotonically. She grabbed pastrami and Swiss cheese from the refrigerator. "I like them hot. Do you like them hot?"

He liked a lot of things hot.

"Whatever you want is fine with me." He cleared his throat, "Do you need any help? Or else I was going to take a quick shower before we eat." He really needed a shower, a cold shower to be more specific.

"I think I can handle making a couple of sandwiches by myself, go ahead and take a shower." Helga waved him off as she searched for the rye buns.

"Okay, I'm going to make sure the doors are secure and I'll be quick with the shower."

* * *

The water was freezing, but it necessary. He needed to cool off. No matter what he did, he couldn't help but find everything and anything Hega did attractive. He shivered under the water as he washed his hair. Lost in his own thoughts, he never heard the bathroom door open. He didn't hear someone shuffling around or the sound of a zipper opening, he did hear the shower curtain moving open. He jumped, "Helga?" He stared at her wide eyed and shocked. There Helga was standing in front of the shower completely naked. He stared at her, taking in the sight.

"Are you going to turn the heat up in there? I'm not getting in there with you when the water is that cold." Her blue roamed his naked body as she spoke. She smirked, "Hurry up, would you? I cannot wait to get wet with you." She voiced in a suggestive whisper.

Arnold scrambled for the faucet handle clumsily turning the hot water on. He held out his hand when the water was at a comfortable temperature, "Why are you in here?" He asked as he watched the water run down her naked form. He could feel the blood in his body pumping to a certain vain.

"I'm here because I know that's what you wanted." Her fingers caressed he cheeks before bringing his mouth to hers, kissing him. "I know you want me." Her eyes flashed down to his region between his legs, she smirked. "Or at least part of you wants me." Her eyes locked with his, "Do other parts of you want me?"

His hands went to her waist, pulling her flat against him. He closed his eyes, knowing she could feel him, feel all of him against her. "You have no idea how much I want you." He growled before claiming her mouth as his. His hands roamed her body as her clawed at his back.

He pressed her back against the shower wall; he had wanted this for so long…He couldn't believe it was finally happening.

* * *

Arnold was cruelly, unwillingly, ripped from his dream. He shot up in bed and blinked. It was just a dream. Helga never joined him in the shower. No, he took a cold shower alone; they ate supper in almost complete silence, and watched a movie before going to bed, separately in separate beds in separate rooms. Damn it, why did he have to wake up?

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a shrill scream. Helga was screaming. He stumbled out of bed as he grabbed his gun off the nightstand and ran to Helga's bedroom. He burst into the room his gun drawn, ready to shoot whatever intruder that was inside of Helga's room. He blinked, momentarily confused. Helga was asleep in bed and there was no one else in the room.

Arnold looked down at Helga and realized she was thrashing her body almost violently in her sleep. A loud cry escaped her lips. Arnold took a deep breath, she was having a nightmare. He set his gun down on her dresser and gently shook her, "Helga." He shook her again, "Helga, wake up. You're having a nightmare."

Helga let out gasp as her eyes opened. She blinked away tears and looked up at Arnold, confused. "Arnold? What are you doing in here?"

"I heard you screaming…You…You were having a nightmare. Are you okay?" He asked.

She nodded sharply, "Yeah, I'm fine." She sounded slightly out of breath, "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"It's okay. Did you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head, "Not really…" She took a deep breath, "I just keep going through all these scenarios about Derek finds me and this dream just felt so real. It was nothing. I should just go back to sleep. Sorry again for waking you."

"It's okay." Arnold quickly told her, "Is there anything you need before I go back to bed."

Her breathing was shaky, "I know this is pretty pathetic of me asking this, but I'm scared and you make me feel safer…." She paused for a moment, "Can you stay in here with me tonight?"

Arnold really didn't want to sleep on the floor tonight, but he nodded. "Sure. Just let me go get some pillows and blankets…Where do you want me on floor."

She sighed, "You don't need to sleep on the floor. We're both adults. I think we can sleep in the same bed together." She scooted over to the other side of the bed, "Here, you can even have the warm side of the bed."

Arnold only nodded, moving his gun to the nightstand before getting into bed next to Helga. He sighed softly; he should have insisted that he slept on the floor. He wasn't sure how he'd be able to stay sane being in such close proximity with Helga. The little noises she made while falling back to sleep… The fact she wasn't wearing a bra. She was going to drive him insane.

He closed his eyes, doubting a peaceful night's sleep would come to him that night. At least, on the bright side, with no sleep there would be sex dreams about the blonde sleeping only inches away from him.

* * *

Poor Arnold. He is getting pretty sexually frustrated and the sex dreams are not helping. As always, please review.


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